An off-field saga which hovered over Minnesota Vikings wideout Jordan Addison reached its conclusion Tuesday as the NFL handed down a suspension related to a 2024 DUI citation.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Addison will be suspended for the first three weeks of the 2025 regular season due to a violation of the league’s substances of abuse policy.
Addison initially plead no contest to a lesser charge related to the 2024 DUI citation back in July.
The third-year wideout is still allowed to participate in training camp and preseason games with no restriction, but he will not be allowed to enter the Vikings’ team facility during his three-week suspension to open the regular season.
With that development, how does Addison’s temporary absence impact other Minnesota pass catchers in fantasy football?
Fantasy impact of Jordan Addison’s suspension
The Vikings’ offense has been a lucrative one for fantasy football players over the last couple of seasons under head coach Kevin O’Connell. Entering 2025, Minnesota opens Week 1 with their third different quarterback in as many years as rookie J.J. McCarthy takes snaps under center.
Addison himself has been a consistent contributor over his first two NFL seasons, averaging 13.0 and 14.2 FPPG in PPR formats. He saw 108 targets over his 17 games in 2023, then garnered 99 looks in 15 games during the 2024 campaign. He averaged 6.6 targets per contest last year, so his absence should lead to a couple of additional opportunities for other players.
Justin Jefferson
While superstar receiver Justin Jefferson is currently nursing a hamstring issue in training camp, he should be ready in time for Week 1. The multi-time All-Pro was already in line to lead the Vikings in targets once again this season, but it’s natural to assume he’ll be the main beneficiary of Addison’s absence. However, Jefferson already has an elite combination of fantasy floor and ceiling, so he’ll put up his numbers regardless as an elite WR1.
T.J. Hockenson
The player who likely benefits more from Addison’s suspension in the opening weeks is tight end T.J. Hockenson. The veteran appeared in 10 games for the Vikings after rehabbing an MCL tear suffered in 2023. He averaged just 8.7 FPPG over those 10 contests with 62 targets, an average of 6.2 per outing. Now further removed from that serious injury, Hockenson should enter the year fully healthy and perform at a higher level.
With a better slate of health and a few more targets, the 28-year-old could start the 2025 campaign on a high note. Hockenson’s just a season removed from a campaign in which he averaged 14.6 FPPG while averaging 8.5 targets per game, so we’ve seen him perform with increased volume before. Watch for the veteran to see improved production over the opening weeks of the season without Addison on the field.
