Jordan Addison — Week 1: Two Third-Down Targets, No Catch
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 14
Addison was thrown to twice Sunday, both times on third down, both from Carson Wentz, and caught neither: short left on third and five at the Green Bay twenty in the first quarter ahead of a field goal, and deep right on third and six in the third quarter. Justin Jefferson had nine targets, T.J. Hockenson five and Josh Oliver four, in a 39–22 win over the Packers.
When Jordan Addison's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
The full episode, in writing
Two targets. That is Jordan Addison's line from Minnesota's opener, both on third down, both incomplete, and together they came out at −3.3 expected points added, which is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. Fourth on his own team in targets, behind nine to Justin Jefferson, five to T.J. Hockenson and four to Josh Oliver, and no catches.
The first was the closer of the two to something. Third and five at the Green Bay 20, one 46 left in the first quarter, Vikings down nine to nothing, Carson Wentz short left, incomplete. −1.6 expected points and −4.4 points of win probability, the chance of winning after the play against before it, and Minnesota kicked the field goal that made it nine to three. The second was third and six at the Minnesota 44 with 11 13 left in the third quarter, down 19 to 10, deep right, incomplete, −1.7, and the Vikings punted. One more throw carried his name and does not count: third and five at the Green Bay six with six 49 left in the fourth, Wentz short middle intended for Addison, intercepted by Evan Williams, and wiped out by defensive holding on Xavier McKinney; Aaron Jones scored from the three on the next play. Both targets were Wentz's. Kyler Murray's five throws before he left the game went twice to Jefferson, once to Hockenson, once to Jauan Jennings and once with no receiver.
The passing game around him was thin and effective where it counted. Minnesota took 27 pass plays, 17 before halftime and 10 after, and gained a hundred 51 yards, 92 of them Jefferson's on eight catches and two touchdowns, 36 Hockenson's with the third-quarter touchdown, 22 Josh Oliver's. The three passing touchdowns went to Jefferson twice and Hockenson once, and all three came from Wentz. The Vikings converted eight of 14 third downs; Addison's two were among the six that did not.
Back in June the preview called Addison a watchlist: the 40-fourth receiver at pick one oh six, two top-20-ish seasons before a down year it laid on a suspension and the quarterback play, with the quarterback — J.J. McCarthy's step, or an upgrade — as the whole swing and his target share next to Jefferson as the September watch. Sunday the quarterback was Kyler Murray for five throws and Carson Wentz for the rest, McCarthy was listed among the inactives as the third quarterback per Craig Peters at Vikings.com, and the share was two targets to Jefferson's nine. One game with two targets is not a role, and a game where the passer changed in the first quarter is a poor one to read a role from. Minnesota is at the Bears on Sunday the twentieth. The first number to look for is a target that is not on third down.
_Data via nflverse._
When Jordan Addison's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
Keep going