The Most Overhyped Players on the Vikings Roster
The Minnesota Vikings will begin 2025 training camp in less than five weeks, locking in for a couple of weeks before preseason games get off the ground.
Some players get more hype than is deserved — at least before training camp. Here are four of those men on the Vikings roster.
The team’s fans universally approve of the depth chart, and everyone is overly excited to see second-year passer J.J. McCarthy cook this season.
However, like every summer, a few players may be receiving a bit too much hype. Think: Irv Smith Jr. from 2019 to 2022.
These are the overhyped Vikings players for 2025, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (DT)
Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins could, indeed, turn into the next big thing. Let’s get that out there and be a part of the hype.
The 33rd Team‘s Kyle Crabbs profiled Ingram-Dawkins before the draft: “He does play well when assigned to rep runs outside-in and turn the play back into the teeth of the defense. Ingram-Dawkins has potential as a power rusher, but he’s not shown the ability to craft winning rush plans with any consistency.”
“You’ll get a bright glimpse of a tight angle that’s been collapsed to pressure or a flash of disruption from the interior, but too many rushes are left inefficient with his hands and fail to help progressively deteriorate a pass set. He’s too feast or famine in this phase to be considered a viable rookie rusher.”
That mostly sounds great, but when it’s all said and done, Ingram-Dawkins is still a 5th-Round draft pick. The odds of him blossoming into a star are low, especially on a depth chart with Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, and Jalen Redmond.
Overhyped Players on the Vikings Roster
Every year, we get a little too high on a few players, and 2025 is no different
2. Rondale Moore (WR)
Rondale Moore isn’t just hyped by Minnesotans. He’s been gassed up by his team’s fans throughout his whole career.
But he’s never registered more than 450 receiving yards in a single season, despite Arizona Cardinals fans and fantasy football managers thinking “this could be the year for Moore.”
His speed is undeniable; no one disputes it. Yet, he’s returning from a season-ending injury and on a team that already employs Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, and Tai Felton. Moore could do some decent things in 2025, but he should be viewed through a WR4 or WR5 lens.
PurplePTSD‘s Brevan Bane wrote about Moore in April before the team picked Felton, “Another factor against Rondale Moore is that he won’t really be able to stake his claim to the WR3 spot before the Vikings have a chance to draft one in the 2025 NFL Draft at the end of this month. Of course, it’s not a guarantee that they will, but he has no control over what the front office will decide what to do when they’re put on the clock.”
“The good thing for Moore is that the WR3 competition isn’t too intense; he really only has to outplay Jalen Nailor in camp. All due respect to Nailor, but that’s not an insurmountable task for a player with a high draft pedigree like Rondale Moore, especially if he’s able to bounce back from his season-ending injury.”
Moore also just turned 25, so he has youth on his side.
Bane added, “Truthfully, Rondale Moore is ‘Moore’ than capable of winning the WR3 job quite easily. Durability is simply the major question, just as it was with current and assumed WR3 Jalen Nailor in the first couple of years of his career as well.”
“If nothing else, Moore could be featured as a WR4 and potential kick and punt returner, virtually making him a replacement for former Vikings WR Brandon Powell, who currently remains unsigned.”
Think: younger Brandon Powell.
3. Jalen Nailor (WR)
Nailor stayed healthy for a full season in 2024, his first time accomplishing the feat since turning purple in 2022.
He tabulated 414 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns last season. Those numbers are fine, but then the Vikings turned around and drafted Tai Felton in April. Nailor will enter his final year with the Vikings, watching as Felton nips at his heels on the depth chart.
If you’re interested in hyping a non-Jefferson or non-Addison wide receiver, Felton may be a better target. He’ll be attached to the Vikings’ roster for the next four years. Nailor may be a short-timer.
4. Jeff Okudah (CB)
Some Vikings fans believe 2025 is when Okudah will realize his full potential. Could that happen? Sure. Will that happen? Probably not.
Players rarely blossom after five full seasons in the pros, and Okudah will always be forced to live up to his status as the third overall pick in 2020. He simply isn’t worthy of that draft capital.
To think he’ll suddenly burst into stardom is reminiscent of fans chanting for Irv Smith Jr.’s breakout season every summer. There would probably be more hints about Okudah’s upside by now.
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