Despite coming within one game of claiming the NFC’s number one seed last season, the Minnesota Vikings opted not to re-sign quarterback Sam Darnold. When the Seattle Seahawks opted to give Darnold starter money, Minnesota decided to keep its faith in J.J. McCarthy, which it drafted with the 10th overall pick in 2024.
The last time McCarthy took the field in a competitive game, he became a national champion with Michigan. In his junior season, McCarthy completed a Big Ten-high 72.3% of his passes and threw 49 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions in his career, so there’s reason for the Vikings to have faith in him, especially with Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell at the helm.
McCarthy will make his NFL debut tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET when Minnesota travels to face the Chicago Bears for Monday Night Football. The Vikings are 1.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set for 43.5. Below, I’ve identified my favorite prop bets centered around McCarthy in his debut.
Best J.J. McCarthy Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
J.J. McCarthy U242.5 Pass + Rush Yards (-113)
It’s possible that McCarthy, who’s had a year of learning under Darnold and some 15 months in an NFL strength and conditioning program, is better than most rookies in their professional debuts. Still, 242.5 total yards is a fairly high bar: only 15 of the 31 quarterbacks who have suited up so far in Week 1 got there, and Spencer Rattler, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford finished with exactly 243 total yards.
Jordan Love’s Week 1 start in 2023, in which he amassed 257 total yards on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago, is probably the closest possible to comparison, given that Love had had two years to sit and learn behind Rodgers before taking over the reins. But prior to his proper debut as the full-time signal-caller, Love had attempted 83 total passes, including one start. McCarthy’s only experience consists of 17 preseason passes in 2024 and seven more in 2025, in which he totaled 218 passing yards and 26 rushing yards.
Plus, the Bears’ defense isn’t terrible. Last season, they allowed 3,959 passing yards — a roughly middle-of-the-pack figure — as well as 218 rushing yards to quarterbacks, the third-fewest in the league. Cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson, both of whom are questionable for tonight’s game, each recorded among the 20 highest coverage grades at their position last season. Last season, Darnold reached 243 total yards in one of the two games, but getting there required him to throw for 90 yards in overtime.
