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Notable PFF grades and insights from Vikings’ first preseason game of 2026

Some Vikings rookies had better debuts than others. What can the PFF numbers tell us?

While they shouldn’t be viewed as an end-all, be-all metric, Pro Football Focus’s player grades are one data point we can use to get a sense for how someone performed in an NFL game. Let’s dive into some of PFF’s grades and other stats from the Vikings’ first preseason game of 2026, a 13-10 win over the Giants on Saturday.

Top 5 grades on offense (min. 10 snaps)

With a ten-snap minimum, you won’t see any of the Vikings’ offensive starters, who played nine snaps on the opening drive. Jordan Addison, Josh Oliver, and every offensive lineman except for Blake Brandel earned a grade above 68 (out of 100) on that series.

1. TE Marshall Lang: 87.6

2. WR Myles Price: 85.5

3. LT Ryan Van Demark: 79.8

4. LG/RG Walter Rouse: 75.7

5. LG/C Vershon Lee: 68.1

Lang, a reserve tight end, made a diving catch from Carson Wentz late in the game. Price was the star of the day on offense. The other three are backup offensive linemen who graded well. Van Demark should be an upgrade from Justin Skule as the Vikings’ swing tackle this season.

Bottom 5 grades on offense (min. 10 snaps)

1. LT/RT Caleb Tiernan: 28.2

2. WR Dillon Bell: 39.5

3. WR Tai Felton: 44.4

4. QB J.J. McCarthy: 47.5

5. RB Zavier Scott: 48.0

Tiernan was fine as a pass blocker but graded very poorly in the run game and committed two penalties. Bell and Felton each had a drop that hurt their grade. McCarthy still seemed a tick slow in his processing and decision-making, and he sailed a ball over Jeshaun Jones’ head on his first drive. Scott had three touches and was mostly dinged for allowing three pressures on seven pass-blocking snaps.

Top 5 grades on defense (min. 10 snaps)

Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman, Dallas Turner, and Josh Metellus all earned strong grades but played only five or six snaps.

1. LB Jacob Roberts: 92.6

2. S Jacob Thomas: 92.5

3. LB Bangally Kamara: 90.9

4. CB Zemaiah Vaughn: 86.3

5. LB Jake Golday: 81.6

Roberts and Thomas each had an interception and a few tackles in the second half. Thomas, who led the Vikings with 38 defensive snaps, is making a real case to be included on the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie. Kamara is another UDFA to keep an eye on after a five-tackle game. Golday had a fairly quiet game to the naked eye but clearly impressed PFF’s graders.

Bottom 5 grades on defense (min. 10 snaps)

1. DT Caleb Banks: 30.4

2. DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins: 39.1

3. DT Taki Taimani: 42.7

4. CB James Pierre: 44.4

5. DT Domonique Orange: 45.0

It wasn’t a great debut for the Vikings’ two rookie defensive tackles, who both got pushed around a bit in the run game. There will be a lot for D-line coaches Ryan Nielsen and Pat Hill to go over with Banks and Orange in the film room. Ingram-Dawkins was charged with two missed tackles. Pierre allowed four catches on four targets in his coverage.

Grades for notable Vikings rookies

• S Jacob Thomas: 92.5

• LB Jake Golday: 81.6

• RB Demond Claiborne: 62.2

• CB Chuck Demmings: 61.1

• DT Domonique Orange: 45.0

• DT Caleb Banks: 30.4

• OT Caleb Tiernan: 28.2

That’s Thomas plus every drafted rookie except for Max Bredeson and Gavin Gerhardt (only seven snaps each) and Jakobe Thomas (didn’t play due to back stiffness). Claiborne looked explosive on a few runs but also has plenty to work on. Demmings, who has been the star of training camp, was relatively quiet in his 31 snaps.

Demond Claiborne’s 12 carries for 34 yards in his Vikings preseason debut.

How’d he look? pic.twitter.com/NRNtUE1UKs

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 16, 2026

Other PFF stats

• Wentz was the Vikings’ only quarterback with a grade above 48 (his was 64.3), though the samples are tiny for Kyler Murray and Max Brosmer.

• McCarthy’s time to throw was 3.1 seconds. Wentz, Murray, and Brosmer were all below 2.5. Wentz was pressured on four of his 14 dropbacks, while McCarthy was pressured on four of eight. How quickly a QB gets rid of the ball impacts their pressure numbers, as does the offensive line.

• Claiborne was credited with two missed tackles forced as a runner.

• Ingram-Dawkins, Elijah Williams, and Jay Ward tied for the team lead with two quarterback pressures each. Williams had a 90.1 pass rush grade and a sack on seven pass rush snaps.

• In addition to his 92.5 defensive grade, Jacob Thomas led the Vikings with an 82.3 special teams grade on 14 snaps. That bodes well for his case to make the team.