The Minnesota Vikings were the NFL's final unbeaten team heading into their Week 8 matchup against the Detroit Lions, despite plentiful struggles on the offensive side of the ball through a 6-0 start. Kyler Murray entered the season as the team's signal-caller, but a combination of injuries and inconsistent performances have raised concerns over the team's ceiling going forward.

Murray struggled in the loss to Detroit, and will miss his second game due to injury in Week 9 as Minnesota's front office weighs their options at quarterback. He's reportedly dealing with a hamstring issue, and will be sidelined against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, thrusting Carson Wentz into the starting job for Week 9.

Amid reports of Wentz taking the reins for Minnesota's offense, NFL reporter Evan Sidery floated the glaring hypothetical of the Vikings gearing up for a midseason trade for a veteran quarterback.

The Vikings are planning to start Carson Wentz at quarterback this week, per @AdamSchefter.

Minnesota is expected to keep Kyler Murray out due to a hamstring issue, but there’s legit questions about the position.

Minnesota could be preparing for a midseason QB trade next week. pic.twitter.com/dLuc3BKO7J

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) November 5, 2026

Carson Wentz Should Elevate Justin Jefferson's Fantasy Outlook

Wentz could elevate the fantasy ceiling for star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who showed out during the season opener against the Green Bay Packers after Murray went down with a concussion. He hauled in eight passes for 92 receiving yards and two touchdowns, tallying 27.2 fantasy points in PPR.

Jefferson has failed to reach these fantasy heights since, averaging just 9.25 points from Week 2 to Week 8. The Bills present a favorable matchup for Wentz, Jefferson and co., entering Week 9 with the 30th-ranked pass defense in the NFL. He'll likely take advantage of this matchup with Wentz at the helm, and projects to see expanded volume with another nine-plus target game (Week 1, Week 8).

Minnesota's QB Targets Bolsters Fantasy Ceiling For Entire Offense

Recent trade rumors have linked the Vikings to blockbuster deals involving players at positions of need. Jonathan Taylor emerged as a potential high-end target following the Indianapolis Colts' reported fire sale, having already moved Quentin Nelson and DeForest Buckner. More recent rumors have tagged Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Target as a trade candidate.

Bringing in Herbert would be a massive swing for both the superstar signal-caller and the Vikings' offense. He'd thrive in Kevin O'Connell's system and significantly benefit the fantasy outlook for pass-catchers like Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Minnesota is in win-now mode with the top-ranked defense in the NFL, and could emerge as serious suitors for the Chargers quarterback.

The 0-7 Chargers are expected to move some star pieces amid reports of a fire sale in their own right. Herbert has struggled without a strong supporting cast and a lackluster offensive line, and Minnseota's offense could benefit the four-time Pro Bowler just as much as the unit would benefit from his presence.

Other potential options like Daniel Jones could also benefit the offense from a fantasy perspective, even though he isn't the same caliber of player to that of Herbert at the quarterback spot.