Fantasy Football: Jordan Addison Lands in a Solid Spot for Immediate Success

The WR slide in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft was real, but when they came off the board, there were four in a row. Jordan Addison was the fourth one taken at overall pick No. 23 by the Minnesota Vikings but perhaps has the clearest path of the receiving quad to immediate targets.

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Jordan Addison as a Prospect

A pure athlete, Addison found a high level of success at two collegiate programs in back-to-back seasons. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best WR in CFB) while at Pittsburgh in 2021 while putting up 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns on 100 catches in just 14 games, then transferred to USC, adding another 59 receptions for 875 yards and eight scores. The 21-year-old’s ability to find separation is well known, but his tape is also littered with examples of incredible sideline grabs.

Addison’s size became a concern at the NFL Combine, as he came in at a slender 173 pounds at 5’11”, but he’s proven he can line up at multiple receiver positions and Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception maps out success at the NFL level for the rookie.

How Jordan Addison Fits with the Vikings

With the departure of nine-year Viking Adam Thielen to Carolina, there are 107 WR targets from 2023 available - the 10th most in the NFL at that position. Minnesota boasted one of the best passing attacks in the league in 2022, throwing at the sixth-highest rate over expectation while ending 10th in pass EPA per play. They attempted the third most passes (672) and put up a total of 4,484 passing yards, which was fifth among NFL offenses.

The former run-first team under Mike Zimmer turned passing machine with Kevin O'Connell is the perfect fit for Addison to shine in his first year as a professional. He should slide right into a starting spot alongside star Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, who emerged later in the season in 2022. However, the rookie does have the chops to leapfrog Osborn as the team’s WR2 sooner than later.

Thielen’s output decreased over the last few seasons, but he put up fantasy WR1 numbers in 2020 along with Justin Jefferson and still remained in the fantasy conversation over the next two years despite his age and injuries.

Rumors have been circulating for months that the Vikings are looking to deal RB Dalvin Cook, which could also benefit Addison for fantasy purposes. While Alexander Mattison has shown flashes of a heavy workload, Kirk Cousins could even air the ball out more in 2023 to his young receiving corps without Cook on the field.

Projecting the Vikings Offensive Pieces for Fantasy Purposes

There are no losers in the drafting of Jordan Addison, except perhaps K.J. Osborn. Before the NFL Draft, the fourth-year WR was being drafted in the 10th round as WR53, which could slide a tad with Addison now on the roster.

Addison himself was the 45th WR off Underdog draft boards with an ADP of 8.05 before becoming a Viking, and his landing spot and opportunity should cause a decent spike in the coming weeks. A fantasy WR2 output is well within the realm of possibility in this efficient passing game, and we actually saw five teams (Dolphins, Seahawks, Bengals, Eagles, and Buccaneers) all produce two top-20 wideouts in total half-PPR points last year.

This is also a positive for Kirk Cousins, who threw a career-high 643 balls in 2022. Perennially undervalued despite finishing as a fantasy QB1 in the last three seasons in total fantasy points, the Vikings signal caller was the 13th QB off Underdog draft boards before receiving the gift of Addison. His ADP likely won't fluctuate too much moving forward, which presents some value.

We can’t forget about T.J. Hockenson who was traded to Minnesota after seven contests with the Lions last season. Projected as a target hog before Addison’s arrival, the 25-year-old flew up draft boards, landing as the TE3. His volume should remain fairly hefty, along with his fourth-round price tag.

The Bottom Line

• Jordan Addison should start right away for the Minnesota Vikings and can play both outside and inside.
• He’ll likely jump ahead of KJ Osborn for WR2 volume behind Justin Jefferson and share second-fiddle targets with TJ Hockenson. There are 107 WR targets up for grabs (143 total) in this newly pass-happy offense.
• The Vikings attempted the third most passes in the NFL in 2022 and could even top that if Dalvin Cook gets traded before the season starts.
• Addison was priced as WR45 in the mid-eighth round before the NFL Draft which should steadily climb given his favorable landing spot. A fantasy WR2 finish is certainly within the realm of possibility for the rookie.
• You’ve been paying up for T.J. Hockenson and that likely won’t change, but K.J. Osborn (WR53) could see an ADP dip following the addition of Addison.