5 Vikings Who Must Bounce Back in 2026

Quinn Harris The 2025 season didn’t go according to plan for the Minnesota Vikings. They might have finished with a winning record, but the playoffs stopped looking like a realistic ambition early in the season. If the Vikings are to return to the playoffs in 2026, then there are five Vikings who need bounce-back seasons in 2026.

The five players in question had down years in 2025 for a variety of reasons, from injury to loss of form to wider team issues holding them back. The 5 Vikings Facing the Most Pressure to Rebound in 2026 Whether it’s down to themselves or a wider improvement from the whole team, these five Vikings need to have a bigger impact in the Vikings’ 2026 season. Justin Jefferson For most wide receivers, a 1000-yard season would be something to celebrate.

For a man of Justin Jefferson’s abilities, it amounts to a disappointment. Jefferson caught 84 of 141 targets for 1048 yards and two touchdowns. Sep 29, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a pass near the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images. That was a career low in both yards and TDs, including the season when he appeared in only 10 games because of injury. It left Jefferson without All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition for the first time in his career, outside of his injury-hit 2023 season.