2024 Vikings Win Total Projection (Odders Don’t Trust Minnesota Quarterback Room)

The Minnesota Vikings gave up on Kirk Cousins ​​and used their first-round pick on JJ McCarthy, the quarterback for the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines.

Under the tutelage of Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings hope that McCarthy can be the QB of the future, but perhaps not from Week 1 and in the short term. With veteran Sam Darnold likely starting the season as QB1, the Vikings’ win total isn’t expected to make a big jump from last season’s injury-plagued campaign.

However, O’Connell has proven he can coach teams to perform above expectations, can he do it again?

Here’s Minnesota’s 2024 win total projection from FanDuel Sportsbook.

6.5 (over -142/under +116)

The Vikings couldn’t follow up their NFC North winning season with a down year in 2023, largely due to injuries. The Vikings lost Cousins ​​to a ruptured Achilles tendon and Justin Jefferson also went in and out of the lineup.

Overall, Minnesota was undermanned for much of the year, but still managed to stay in the Wild Card race for most of the season thanks to an improved defense around coordinator Brian Flores.

Flores returns to lead the defense along with a host of key contributors and the addition of first-round pick Dallas Turner to provide a boost as a pass rusher.

However, there are plenty of questions on offense, especially at quarterback. The Vikings are willing to start veteran Darnold ahead of McCarthy, the 10th overall pick, in hopes of making it easier for the Michigan product before throwing him right in. Darnold has shown flashes, but he’s not viewed favorably in terms of the team’s win total.

Will he struggle to force O’Connell to rush McCarthy into the fray, thereby harming the team’s short-term productivity?

Oddsmakers are expecting a tough year for the Vikings.

Game odds are updated periodically and are subject to change.

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