The Vikings boast a hyper-deep defensive group, making the chase for a single “most important” player more about roles than a lone star. Byron Murphy Jr. emerges as the top corner in a thin rotation, while a five-man nucleus—Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Josh Metellus, Blake Cashman and Harrison Smith—drives the unit’s versatility and playmaking. Interior anchors Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, plus speed from Ivan Pace Jr., protect the middle and rush edges. On offense, Jefferson anchors the attack and J.J. McCarthy’s start-forward arc will shape their ceiling this season. A Week 1 shootout backdrop against Philadelphia and Dallas adds fantasy wrinkles for depth and weekly volatility.