Vikings Stock Report: 3 Players Rising (and 3 Falling) After Week 2

Which Vikings are trending up, and which are falling out of favor after the Week 2 victory?

Second-year WR Tai Felton is among the Vikings whose stocks are sinking coming out of Week 2. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was an ugly win in Chicago for the Vikings, but thankfully ugly wins count the same as pretty ones, and Minnesota now finds itself alone atop the division. After the 9-3 win, the Vikings will head into Week 3 with some serious momentum.

While the stat sheet wasn't exactly stuffed against the Bears, a few players stood out in the rainy victory. So which players' stock is on the rise, and who is trending in the wrong direction? Keep reading as I break it down.

Stock up: Caleb Banks, DL

We contain multitudes. Just one week after appearing on this list as a 'Stock Down' player, Banks is back in the good graces of fans days later. A forgettable debut against Green Bay was followed up by an encouraging performance at Chicago, as Banks notched six tackles—including one for loss. He was disruptive in the pocket, forcing Caleb Williams out on his patented scramble, and also made some nice plays in the run.

Caleb Banks still has a long way to go to prove himself, but Week 2 showed Vikings fans a glimpse of the player he can be. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The road is still long for the first-rounder, but the picture is becoming clearer already.

Stock down: Tai Felton, WR

With Jauan Jennings out due to a personal issue, the expectation among many was that Tai Felton would slide up into the WR3 role. The former third-round pick had enjoyed a nice camp and seemed primed for a solid season. Instead, Myles Price moved into the role, running 19 routes on Sunday without a catch. Felton's biggest play, meanwhile, was a late hit out of bounds that luckily avoided a flag.

Felton notched just three catches as a rookie, and being WR5 in 2026 doesn't bode especially well for his future.

Stock up: Donovan Jackson, OL

Donovan Jackson enjoyed another good game and is officially entering the conversation as one of the NFL's top guards. So far in 2026, Jackson has allowed zero pressures, zero sacks and remains penalty-free. Last year's first-round pick dealt with a wrist injury for much of the season, and was very uneven between a revolving door of centers and tackles.

Now healthy, Jackson's been the Vikings' best lineman early in the year.

Stock down: Demond Claiborne, RB

Despite the absence of Jordan Mason, Claiborne was still unable to carve out a role in the Vikings run-game. Instead, the Vikings opted to give Aaron Jones his most carries in a game since 2022. Claiborne played just two snaps, and hauled in one pass for two yards, but for the most part, yielded most of the reserve snaps to newcomer DeeJay Dallas.

Demond Claiborne barely had a role in the Vikings' attack in Week 2, leaving his outlook up in the air moving forward. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Claiborne was a sixth-round pick for a reason, and still has a ways to go when it comes to pass protection, ball security and more. There's more to playing in the NFL than just speed, and it seems the rookie is still a year out from significant playing time.

Stock up: Brett Thorson, P

Brett Thorson showed up big on Sunday, flipping the field for the Vikings in less-than-ideal conditions. He booted a 62-yard gem and averaged 50 yards per punt on the day with two inside the 20. Beyond his leg talent, his holding has been perfect for Will Reichard, and Thorson has shown why he was the right man for the job after a summer-long punter battle with Johnny Hekker.

That said, Thorson is reportedly dealing with a hamstring injury (h/t ESPN's Kevin Seifert) and will undergo further testing, leaving it to time to tell if his availability will be impacted.

Stock down: Jay Ward, S

In Week 1, Ward was left on the bench in favor of Theo Jackson, Harrison Smith and Joshua Metellus. That continued into Week 2, and despite earning a significant role in the second half of 2025, he's fallen completely out of the rotation in 2026.

Undrafted free agent rookie Jacob Thomas appears ahead of Ward as well, and it's a bit surprising to see last year's starter slide so far. It looks like Ward will be relegated to a special teams role this season.

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