The Vikings’ Depth Chart Going into their Week 15 Game at the Bengals
The Vikings’ depth chart continues to reveal a test to one critical area: the depth.
Injuries to Brian O’Neill and Alexander Mattison mean that Minnesota will be handing things off to some backups at offensive tackle and running back. David Quessenberry is likely to be the main man, but keep in mind that Blake Brandel has the trust of the coaching staff and is a tackle by trade. Seeing the fourth-year player get inserted into the game at RT won’t be surprising.
Meanwhile, Ty Chandler is going to be the main man running the football. Kene Nwangwu should pick up some snaps and there will likely be an added C.J. Ham carry (or two). The Vikings could also dip into the practice squad, opting to elevate Myles Gaskin and/or DeWayne McBride. Chandler, though, is the one who is most important in Week 15.
Of course, the main headline of the week rested in Kevin O’Connell opting for Nick Mullens. Doing so merely confirmed the obvious: Mullens was clearly the better option.
What was a bit more uncertain about the team’s QB hierarchy rested in what would occur at QB2. Many seemed to assume that things would be a simple one-for-one swap. Mullens goes to the top spot, Dobbs drops down to the main backup spot. Something we explored on PurplePTSD, though, was the possibility of seeing Dobbs go down to QB3. In the end, that’s exactly what happened.
Standing in Minnesota’s way is Cincinnati, an AFC foe with an identical 7-6 record. Like the Vikings, the Bengals are working without their top quarterback. Instead, the job falls to Jake Browning, who Vikings fans will remember from past training camps and as a practice squad player in Minnesota.
Browning and Zac Taylor have been doing a really good job recently, so this isn’t the typical backup QB assignment. Flores & Friends will need to be sharp.
The game begins later today. Kickoff occurs at 12 p.m. CST at Paycor Stadium, where the Bengals play their football. Expect both teams to be very motivated to pick up the victory since each one is in a tough playoff race.
The Vikings’ Depth Chart: Week 15
Offense
Quarterback
QB1: Nick Mullens
QB2: Jaren Hall
QB3: Josh Dobbs
Running Back
RB1: Ty Chandler
RB2: Kene Nwangwu
Fullback
FB1: C.J. Ham
Wide Receiver
WR1: Justin Jefferson
WR2: Jordan Addison
WR3: K.J. Osborn
WR4: Brandon Powell
Tight End
TE1: T.J. Hockenson
TE2: Josh Oliver
TE3: Johnny Mundt
TE4: Nick Muse
Left Tackle
LT1: Christian Darrisaw
Left Guard
LG1: Dalton Risner
LG2: Chris Reed
Center
C1: Garrett Bradbury
C2: Austin Schlottmann
Right Guard
RG1: Ed Ingram
RG2: Blake Brandel
Right Tackle
RT1: David Quessenberry
RT2: Hakeem Adeniji
Defense
Outside Linebacker
OLB1: Danielle Hunter
OLB2: D.J. Wonnum
OLB3: Patrick Jones
OLB4: Andre Carter
Defensive Line
DT/DE1: Harrison Phillips
DT/DE2: Jonathan Bullard
DT/DE3: Sheldon Day
DT/DE4: Jaquelin Roy
DT/DE5: Khyiris Tonga
Inside Linebacker
LB1: Ivan Pace
LB2: Troy Dye
LB3: Anthony Barr
LB4: Brian Asamoah
Cornerback
CB1: Byron Murphy
CB2: Akayleb Evans
CB3: Mekhi Blackmon
CB4: Andrew Booth Jr.
CB5: NaJee Thompson
Safety
S1: Harrison Smith
S2: Cam Bynum
S3: Josh Metellus
S4: Theo Jackson
S5: Jay Ward
S6: Lewis Cine
Special Teams
Kicker
K1: Greg Joseph
Punter
P1: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper
LS1: Andrew DePaola
Kick Returner
KR1: Kene Nwangwu
KR2: Ty Chandler
Punt Returner
PR1: Brandon Powell
PR2: K.J. Osborn
Several Practice Squad Promotions May be Necessary for the Vikings in Week 15
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.