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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Operating as No. 2 quarterback
Nick Mullens is active for Sunday's game against the Texans.For the third week in a row to open the season, Mullens will suit up as the No. 2 quarterback ahead of Brett Rypien, who is inactive as an emergency third option. With rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy (knee) lost for the season, Mullens should continue to dress as the top backup to starter Sam Darnold throughout the 2024 campaign.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Tosses TD in Saturday's start
Nick Mullens completed 11 of 21 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 27-12 preseason win over the Browns.None of the Minnesota Vikings' starters were on the field Saturday, and even some key reserves like Ty Chandler sat out, but Mullens still put together a decent line while playing with backups for the entire first half. With rookie J.J. McCarthy (knee) out for the season, Mullens will provide Minnesota with an experienced backup to Sam Darnold at quarterback -- and Darnold's track record at least offers the possibility that he will play his way out of another starting job, opening the door for Mullens to take over the offense.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Becomes backup QB
Nick Mullens will start Saturday's preseason game at Cleveland, Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Mullens is set to move up to second on the depth chart at quarterback behind starter Sam Darnold after the Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that J.J. McCarthy (knee) underwent season-ending surgery.As a result of McCarthy's injury, second-year player Jaren Hall should have a clearer path to a spot on Minnesota's Week 1 roster as a third-string quarterback. Mullens was mediocre in five games (three starts) after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury in 2023, averaging a healthy 8.8 yards per attempt but throwing eight interceptions. Still, he's a veteran who can fill in and have a strong game or two with his aggressive style if Darnold is injured.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Now backing up Darnold, not Cousins
Nick Mullens looks set to work as the top backup in 2024 to Sam Darnold, who agreed to a one-year deal with Minnesota on Monday, Christian Gonzales of NFL.com reports.With Kirk Cousins (Achilles) moving on to the Falcons, Mullens and 2023 fifth-round pick Jaren Hall are currently the Minnesota Vikings' only options at quarterback behind Darnold, though the team could further bolster the position in free agency or through the 2024 NFL Draft. Now heading into the final year of his contact and having spent the last two seasons as a backup for Minnesota, Mullens could be cut with the Vikings taking on only $375,000 in dead money, but the team may see value in a veteran quarterback who's already familiar with the present offensive scheme.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Remarkable numbers in loss
Nick Mullens completed 30 of 44 passes for 396 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed twice for eight yards in the Minnesota Vikings' 30-20 loss to the Lions on Sunday.Mullens put together an outstanding line from a fantasy perspective, but his two fourth-quarter interceptions helped sink any chance the Vikings had of temporarily remaining alive for a postseason berth with a win. Mullens put up plenty of eye-catching play on tape over his late-season three-game starting stint (five overall appearances), throwing for at least 303 yards and multiple touchdowns in all three games he opened under center. With Kirk Cousins' (IR-Achilles) future in Minnesota uncertain, it s conceivable Mullens could receive some consideration for the 2024 starting job, although he'll be 29 by the start of the new campaign and has profiled strictly as a backup throughout his career thus far.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Back in starting role
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that Nick Mullens will start Sunday's season finale against the Lions.As Minnesota's quarterback carousel continues to spin, it has landed back on Mullens for the season finale. Mullens played the entire second half of the team's Week 17 loss to the Packers after the Vikings' curious decision to start rookie Jaren Hall backfired. In two previous starts this season, Mullens threw for an impressive 714 yards and four touchdowns but also had six interceptions.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Finishes second half of blowout
Nick Mullens completed 13 of 22 pass attempts for 113 yards and a touchdown with a six-yard rush in Sunday's 33-10 loss to Green Bay.Rookie Jaren Hall struggled to the tune of no touchdowns and two turnovers in his first career start, so head coach Kevin O'Connell switched back to Mullens at the beginning of the second half. The veteran signal-caller didn't give the offense a significant makeover, but he certainly produced the more fantasy-friendly half Sunday. O'Connell stated after the game that he has not committed to a starting quarterback for Minnesota's regular-season finale against Detroit, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The more-experienced Mullens would be the logical choice for the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings, as their playoff hopes (while slim) are still alive. Mullens also represents the option with the higher fantasy upside after he threw two touchdowns and committed four turnovers in a narrow loss to Detroit when the two teams met in Week 16.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Moves back to No. 2 QB
Coach Kevin O'Connell named Jaren Hall the Minnesota Vikings' starting quarterback for Sunday's contest against the Packers, with Nick Mullens serving as the No. 2 option at the position, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.Following Kirk Cousins' season-ending Achilles tear back in Week 8, Minnesota has cycled through three different quarterbacks, with Mullens getting the call the last two games. While Mullens filled the stat sheet (48-for-69 passing for 714 yards and four touchdowns), he also tossed six interceptions in losses at Cincinnati and to the Lions. With Hall back in the top job, Mullens could have been demoted to No. 3 on the QB depth chart, but O'Connell will stick with him as the primary backup over Joshua Dobbs.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Fills stat sheet in loss
Nick Mullens completed 22 of 36 pass attempts for 411 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in Sunday's 30-24 loss to Detroit. He had one rush for one yard and fumbled twice but did not lose either.Mullens earned the starting nod after nearly leading Minnesota to victory in an overtime loss to Cincinnati last week. The veteran backup continued to sling the ball around freely, eclipsing 400 yards passing after throwing for 303 yards against the Bengals. While that style of play can result in the gaudy numbers we've seen so far from Mullens, it can also result in costly turnovers. The 28-year-old threw four more interceptions and nearly lost two fumbles after throwing two picks in his last start. That said, there is fantasy value to be had from Mullens based on passing volume alone -- especially in formats that do not punish turnovers harshly -- for next Sunday's home matchup against the Packers.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Confirmed starter for Week 16
Coach Kevin O'Connell confirmed Monday that Nick Mullens will start Sunday's game against the Lions.As expected, Mullens will make a second consecutive start. He threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals but had a pair of interceptions in Cincinnati territory. The 7-7 Minnesota Vikings are in the playoff hunt and believe Mullens gives them the best chance to win over fellow quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Jaren Hall.