The Vikings’ Depth Chart Going Into Week 5 vs. the Chiefs
Very few expect a purple victory in Week 5 but the Vikings’ depth chart includes some hints about how an upset could happen.
Begin with a hearty dose of pressure from the likes of Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport. A terrifying twosome, Hunter and Davenport have a super high ceiling. Fulfilling their potential would mean Brian Flores’ defense gets a major boost as the season begins settling into itself.
Sprinkle in a bit of magic from D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones, and maybe even the old fella — Mr. Harrison Smith — and the Vikings could disrupt Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense.
Meanwhile, the running game needs to continue scampering toward relevance. As of right now, there hasn’t been a touchdown scored on the ground for Minnesota, a fact that needs to change sooner rather than later. Kirk Cousins’ arm and Greg Joseph’s leg have been doing all of the scoring (apart from the Wonnum scoop & score, that is). Seeing Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers get the football across the goal line would be a welcome sight.
Throwing INTs in the red zone becomes less likely if a running back is carrying the ball into the endzone.
An unexpected victory would place the Vikings at 2-3, a record that’s far more optimistic when we remember that the Chicago Bears are waiting in Week 6. Divisional games can often get funky but the Bears are unravelling in a manner that is growing increasingly worrisome for Ryan Poles and everyone else in the front office in The Windy City.
Alas, that game is still a week away. First up is an effort to take down Andy Reid’s impressive operation.
Taylor Swift is likely to be in the stands. If she gets lots of time on camera clapping her hands and yelling in delight, the Vikings are likely losing. Hopefully, the singer leaves U.S. Bank Stadium needing to console her All-Pro love interest. Maybe she can even write a song about the heartbreak that occurs inside a Vikings ship.
The game begins at 3:25 CDT.
The Vikings’ Depth Chart
Offense
Quarterback
QB1: Kirk Cousins
QB2: Nick Mullens
QB3: Jaren Hall
Running Back
RB1: Alexander Mattison
RB2: Cam Akers
RB3: Ty Chandler
Fullback
FB1: C.J. Ham
Wide Receiver
WR1: Justin Jefferson
WR2: Jordan Addison
WR3: K.J. Osborn
WR4: Brandon Powell
WR5: N’Keal Harry
Tight End
TE1: T.J. Hockenson
TE2: Josh Oliver
TE3: Johnny Mundt
TE4: Nick Muse
Left Tackle
LT1: Christian Darrisaw
LT2: David Quessenberry
Left Guard
LG1: Ezra Cleveland
LG2: Dalton Risner
Center
C1: Garrett Bradbury
C2: Austin Schlottmann
Right Guard
RG1: Ed Ingram
RG2: Blake Brandel
Right Tackle
RT1: Brian O’Neill
RT2: Hakeem Adeniji
Defense
Outside Linebacker
OLB1: Danielle Hunter
OLB2: Marcus Davenport
OLB3: D.J. Wonnum
OLB4: Patrick Jones
OLB5: Andre Carter
Defensive Line
DT/DE1: Harrison Phillips
DT/DE2: Jonathan Bullard
DT/DE3: Dean Lowry
DT/DE4: Khyiris Tonga
DT/DE5: Jaquelin Roy
Inside Linebacker
LB1: Jordan Hicks
LB2: Ivan Pace
LB3: Brian Asamoah
LB4: Troy Dye
Cornerback
CB1: Byron Murphy
CB2: Akayleb Evans
CB3: Mekhi Blackmon
CB4: Andrew Booth
CB5: NaJee Thompson
Safety
S1: Harrison Smith
S2: Cam Bynum
S3: Josh Metellus
S4: Theo Jackson
S5: Lewis Cine
S6: Jay Ward
Special Teams
Kicker
K1: Greg Joseph
Punter
P1: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper
LS1: Andrew DaPaola
Kick Returner
KR1: Ty Chandler
KR2: Brandon Powell
Punt Returner
PR1: Brandon Powell
PR2: K.J. Osborn
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.