There were high expectations for Jordan Addison prior to his rookie NFL campaign. The former college All-American and Biletnikoff recipient entered the NFL with a ton of talent and plenty of confidence.

The Vikings drafted him to take some pressure off their All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson. Many pundits believed the Vikings would draft a cornerback as it was their biggest position of need. But when Addison fell to them in the draft, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell just couldn’t pass him up.

Addison Starts His Career with a Bang

And Addison returned dividends to the team right from the start. In his first NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught four passes for 61 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Addison had started his NFL career with a bang.

Addison would prove to be a bonafide threat for the Vikings over the next four-game stretch. During that time, he would bring in 15 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He and tight end T.J. Hockenson operated as great second and third options for quarterback Kirk Cousins when Jefferson was being tightly covered.

Jefferson Goes Down

But it was in Week 7 of the season when Jordan Addison had the entire NFL sit up and take notice. Jefferson would sustain a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs and would subsequently land on the injured list. This would put more pressure on Addison, Hockenson, and the other Vikings receivers to step up their game.

In the Week 6 game against the Chicago Bears, Addison performed well hauling in three receptions, for 28 yards and a touchdown. But in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers, the young rookie would have the best game of his short career.

Addison Turns in a Big Play

Playing against a tough 49ers defense, Addison finished the game with seven receptions, for 123 yards and two touchdowns. And his second touchdown of the day, came in dramatic fashion. Earlier in the game, San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward had wrestled the ball out of Addison’s hands for a first-quarter interception.

But Jordan got his revenge when just before halftime, he ripped the ball out of Ward’s hands and ran the remaining 32 yards for a Minnesota touchdown. You will never see a better job of pickpocketing than Addison produced on this play.

Vikings Lose Cousins

Addison would continue his exciting play, but the Vikings would suffer a key injury that could have derailed their season. Durable Vikings’ quarterback Cousins suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the Week 8 tilt against the Green Bay Packers and he was declared out for the season. The Vikings managed to come away from this game with a win, but their future looked uncertain.

Rookie Jared Hall would get the start at quarterback for the Vikings’ next game against the Falcons in Atlanta. But his time in the spotlight was short as early on, he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. His backup, Joshua Dobbs was just obtained from the Arizona Cardinals the previous week and he had not yet practiced with the Vikings’ first-team offense.

Dobbs to the Rescue

Addison

Vikings’ Quarterback Joshua Dobbs in Action Against the New Orleans Saints. – Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

After a shaky start, Dobbs began to show the Vikings and the entire NFL just what he was capable of. He would lead the Vikings to a come-from-behind 31-28 victory for their fourth straight win. For the game, Dobbs would go 20-30, for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Addison was instrumental in Dobbs’ success as he caught five balls for 52 yards, including two key receptions on the Vikings’ game-winning scoring drive.

The chemistry between Dobbs and Addison would continue into the next week in the Vikings’ home game against the New Orleans Saints. The young rookie would contribute four catches and 69 receiving yards to help Minnesota win its fifth straight game. And all of his catches would be a big part of the Vikings’ first two touchdown drives.

Addison in ROY Conversation

For the season, Jordan now has 45 receptions, for 603 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His seven receiving touchdowns in his first eight games make him the sixth NFL player in the Super Bowl era to accomplish this feat. It also makes him the first player in Vikings’ history with seven touchdowns in his first eight games.

It’s a given at this point in the season that C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans will win the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. And deservedly so. He has had a remarkable season, and he has been a big part of turning around a struggling franchise.  His backstory is about overcoming adversity and persevering. He is even being mentioned as a possible MVP candidate.

But Jordan Addison has certainly played his way into the ROY conversation. He has helped lift the Vikings’ offense, especially through some challenging times. There’s a chance that Justin Jefferson could return for the team’s Week 11 game against the Denver Broncos. The Vikings would certainly welcome his return. But they have confidence that even without him in the lineup, they can count on their rookie wideout to deliver some big plays.