{"id":920715,"date":"2026-07-18T06:12:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T11:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/2-vikings-included-in-pfns-top-100-players-of-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T06:12:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T11:12:40","slug":"2-vikings-included-in-pfns-top-100-players-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/2-vikings-included-in-pfns-top-100-players-of-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Vikings Included in PFN\u2019s Top 100 Players of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Football <\/p>\n<div id=\"content\">\n<p><main role=\"main\"><\/p>\n<section>\n<article id=\"post-155336\">\n<figure><img width=\"788\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25318224_168394844_lowres.jpg\" alt=\"Football Justin Jefferson smiles during NFC practice for the Pro Bowl Games in Orlando.\" decoding=\"sync\" fetchpriority=\"high\"   loading=\"eager\"><figcaption><span>Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson smiles during NFC practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium, showing a relaxed side as players prepare for the weekend showcase. On Feb. 1, 2025, Jefferson takes part in the lighthearted session while the conference\u2019s top players work through drills before the annual competition in Orlando. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Minnesota Vikings haven\u2019t had much luck with individual rankings \u201clists\u201d this summer, but <em>Pro Football Network<\/em> recently came along to change that just a bit. PFN annually ranks the Top 100 players in the NFL, following the lead of NFL.com, ESPN, <em>CBS Sports<\/em>, and others. For PFN, wide receiver <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/story\/_\/id\/49252915\/ranking-nfl-top-10-wide-receivers-2026-execs-coaches-scouts\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Justin Jefferson<\/a> and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel got the nod.<\/p>\n<p>Jefferson and Van Ginkel will headline their sides of the ball in September, and ranking them inside the Top 100 just makes sense.<\/p>\n<h2>Football Two Vikings Selections Reward Star Power on Both Sides of the Ball<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25191435.jpg\" alt=\"Football Justin Jefferson squares up against the Rams during NFC Wild Card action. Vikings top 100 players\"  ><figcaption>Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson lines up against Los Angeles at State Farm Stadium, studying the defense before the snap during NFC Wild Card action. On Jan. 13, 2025, Jefferson prepares for another postseason route as Minnesota faces the Rams in a high-stakes matchup with its season hanging in the balance. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>PFN on Jefferson \u2014 No. 16<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jefferson checked in right behind Patrick Mahomes \u2014 good company \u2014 as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.profootballnetwork.com\/nfl-hq\/top-100-players\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Jason Katz scribed<\/a>, \u201cYou know you\u2019re on a Hall of Fame track when a 1,048-yard season is considered a down year for you. Such was the case with Justin Jefferson last year, who managed to crack the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth year in a row, in spite of the <a href=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/2026\/news\/analysis\/vikings-quarterback-competition-weakest-link\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Vikings\u2019 quarterback woes<\/a> in 2025. He still has the most receiving yards of any NFL player through the first six seasons of their career.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThough Jefferson dropped to No. 38 in the PFN WR Impact Score rankings in 2025, he\u2019s been a top-four finisher four times since joining Minnesota in 2020. We chalk the down year up to bad quarterbacking, as he\u2019s proven he\u2019s one of the best route runners, pure athletes, and ball-trackers in the entire league.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Houston Texans outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. found a home at No. 17 right beneath Jefferson. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Van Ginkel at No. 99 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One spot for Dallas Cowboys guard\/tackle <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6912652\/2025\/12\/23\/cowboys-tyler-smith-left-tackle-future\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Tyler Smith<\/a>, who rounded out the Top 100, Van Ginkel wiggled onto the list. <\/p>\n<p>Katz on Van Ginkel: \u201cDuring his first five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Andrew Van Ginkel was a reliable, incredibly efficient rotational edge rusher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, he\u2019s blossomed into a star. He was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2024 with 11.5 sacks, 18.0 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, and an NFL-high two interceptions returned for touchdowns.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 31-year-old missed five games last season due to a neck injury, but that did not deter PFN\u2019s ranking process. <\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/USATSI_27712828.jpg\" alt=\"Football Andrew Van Ginkel lines up against the Seahawks at Lumen Field. Vikings top 100 players\"  ><figcaption>Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel lines up before the snap at Lumen Field, reading Seattle\u2019s formation as the offense prepares for another play. On Nov. 30, 2025, Van Ginkel settles into position during a late-season NFC matchup while continuing his versatile role within Brian Flores\u2019 defense on the road that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cVan Ginkel missed some time due to injury in 2025, which sees him drop slightly on this list. However, he still finished with 7.0 sacks in 12 games last year, and he broke up a career-high ten passes for the Vikings. If he can stay healthy this season, it\u2019s a safe bet to assume he rises up these rankings in 2027,\u201d Katz concluded. <\/p>\n<p>Katz included 12 EDGE rushers on the list. Notably, former Vikings EDGE <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/jonathan-greenard-eagles-vikings-trade\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Jonathan Greenard<\/a> did not make the cut. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Who\u2019s Left Off?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Snubs? Minnesota perhaps could\u2019ve had an extra name or two on the list, including these players:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jordan Addison (WR)<\/li>\n<li>Blake Cashman (LB)<\/li>\n<li>Christian Darrisaw (LT)<\/li>\n<li>Byron Murphy Jr. (CB)<\/li>\n<li>Brian O\u2019Neill (RT)<\/li>\n<li>Jalen Redmond (DT)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean <em>all<\/em> those players should\u2019ve been included, but you get the point. It\u2019s also worth noting that based on 2025 production alone \u2014 not career achievement \u2014 veteran linebacker Eric Wilson arguably produced at a Top 100 clip. <\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Vikings-Helmet-1.jpg\" alt=\"Football A Vikings defensive back jogs into position against the Rams in the playoffs. Vikings top 100 players\"  ><figcaption>A Minnesota Vikings defensive back jogs into position at State Farm Stadium, preparing for a postseason snap against Los Angeles during NFC Wild Card action. On Jan. 13, 2025, Minnesota\u2019s secondary faces a difficult assignment against the Rams\u2019 passing attack as the Vikings try to survive and advance in the NFC playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Katz did not include Kickers. If that were the case, Will Reichard would\u2019ve had a strong claim.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Josh Allen as the Standard Bearer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Bills quarterback took home the top prize, with Katz explaining, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/2026\/news\/top_news\/nfl-quarterback-rankings-2026\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Josh Allen<\/a> has been a top-ten quarterback by PFN QB Impact Scoring every single year since 2020. He was the MVP in 2024, and he\u2019s been a Pro Bowler in three of his last four seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe ended 2025 with a career-high 69.3% completion percentage, and his 102.2 passer rating was an upgrade over his MVP season. In addition, his 25 passing touchdowns also ranked ninth in the NFL last year. Where Allen really dominated in 2025 was the ground game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Heading into 2026, Allen will be featured at the top of most individual player lists and is favored to win the MVP award (+600).<\/p>\n<p>Katz added, \u201cHis elite athleticism can sometimes be overshadowed by his hulking frame and elite arm strength, but his dual-threat ability might be the best in the NFL after Jackson slowed down athletically last year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAllen is at the peak of his game and is a bona fide game-changer, making him worthy of the top spot in the 2026 PFN NFL Top 100.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rounding out the Top 5 (in order) were Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL), <a href=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/2026\/news\/analysis\/myles-garrett-trade-vikings-rams\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">Myles Garrett<\/a> (OLB, LAR), Penei Sewell (OT, DET), and Puka Nacua (WR, LAR).<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><img alt=\"Football avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=70,height=70,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/baker1.jpg\"  height=\"70\" width=\"70\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"><\/p>\n<p>Dustin  Baker  is  a  novelist  and  political  scientist.  His  second  novel,  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Invaders-Dustin-Baker-ebook\/dp\/B0GHSN31Z3?ref_=ast_author_mpb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The  Invaders <\/a>,  is  out  now.  So  is  &#8230; More about <a href=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/author\/dustin-baker\">Dustin Baker<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/2026\/news\/top_news\/vikings-pfn-top-100-players-2026\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a> Dustin Baker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson smiles during NFC practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium, showing a relaxed side as players prepare for the weekend showcase. On Feb. 1, 2025, Jefferson takes part in the lighthearted session while the conference\u2019s top players work through drills before the annual competition in Orlando. Mandatory<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":920716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3790,4582,3516],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-920715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","category-included","category-vikings"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=920715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/920716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=920715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=920715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=920715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}