Vikings release Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham landed on the Vikings’ practice squad after being released by the Giants. He appeared in three games for New York and did not record any stats. Beckham hasn’t appeared in any games for Minnesota this year, but he’ll now be a member of their 53-man roster going forward.

Beckham, 33, was released by the Giants last week after getting almost no playing time in the season’s first few games. In Minnesota he will reunite with Kevin O’Connell, who worked with OBJ during his stint with the Rams. With Justin Jefferson (ankle) sidelined last week, Jordan Addison led Minnesota wideouts with 39 percent of the team’s air yards and 16 percent of the targets. Jauan Jennings, meanwhile, had one target while running 95 percent of the team’s routes. Beckham could operate as the team’s WR2 while Jefferson is sidelined. In the Vikings’ ultra run-heavy offense, that probably won’t matter for fantasy purposes.

Beckham’s reuniting with his former team lasted all of three games, during which Beckham was targeted once on 11 pass routes. An afterthought in the New York offense, OBJ will look to land in an offense that might use his diminished skills. NFL insider Jordan Schultz said both the Giants and Beckham “decided a mutual parting was best for everyone.” It’s hard to imagine who would want Beckham at this point in his fading NFL career. He has nine catches since the start of the 2024 regular season.

The rookie wide receiver showcased a polished all-around skillset, reinforcing offseason reports that he had locked down the WR2 role opposite Malik Nabers. His 6'4, 220-pound frame was on full display as he was continually utilized as both a down-blocker and blocker in the second level on runs, something that should allow him to continue to operate as the clear-cut WR2 for the Giants throughout his rookie campaign. That said, the box scores highlights the obvious distinction that his snap rate — he led all Giants wideouts with 50 — won’t always translate to fantasy production while playing alongside Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely, the latter two of whom commanded 17 targets on 29 Jaxson Dart pass attempts. The good news is that he played well ahead of veterans Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr., with Mooney having 39 snaps and Beckham just 11. Fantasy managers are best off viewing Fields as a high-end stash at the end of benches for the time being.

Beckham’s spot on the depth chart is unclear, but he is unlikely to warrant FLEX treatment this season. Rookie WR Malachi Fields is reportedly slated for WR2 duties, and both WR Darius Slayton and WR Darnell Mooney could play ahead of Beckham. This is more of a feel-good story than an actionable fantasy-related item.

Darnell Mooney and Malachi Fields rested. Malik Nabers, still recovering from his 2025 ACL tear, was held out. Beckham drew the start along with the rest of the second-string offense. His stat line was impressive and it nearly went stratospheric when he burned the Jets’ secondary for a would-be 70-yard touchdown. Jameis Winston overthrew the pass and Beckham was unable to haul it in despite laying out for the catch. Per the eye test, Beckham still has something in the tank, even if that something is likely just good enough for a depth role. He isn’t a lock to make the Giants’ roster, but this preseason showing certainly helped.

Things are just getting underway for the Giants as they open camp, so there’s a lot that could play out between now and then. Beckham, 33, signed with the Giants this offseason after pleading for one more chance with the team that originally drafted him in 2014, and got his wishes when he inked a one-year deal in June. Beckham did not suit up for a team last season and caught just nine passes for 55 scoreless yards in the nine games he appeared in for the Dolphins in 2024. We never expected him to make much of a fantasy impact even if he were higher on the depth chart, but Beckham securing the final spot in the WR room would all but cement his status as a lightly-used role player for the Giants this season.

Beckham, who reunited with the Giants on Monday after eight years away from the team, will “likely spend camp behind veteran Darnell Mooney, rookie Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin and maybe more,” Vacchiano said. “He might have to battle for practice reps with veterans Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster,” journeyman who recently signed with the wideout-needy Giants. Headed into his age-34 season following a raft of injuries, Beckham “probably can’t” offer any tangible help for a New York offense in need of pass-catching upside outside of Malik Nabers, who is returning from a major knee injury. Beckham since the start of the 2022 season has 44 receptions for 610 yards. Vacchiano said OBJ’s most important contribution to the 2026 Giants could be mentoring for the team’s young wideouts. Unless you’re in a fantasy league that awards points for mentoring, OBJ likely won’t be viable this season.

How much does a 33-year-old receiver who missed all of 2025 have left in the tank? We’re about to find out. After rumors of mutual interest between the Giants and OBJ, the two sides have officially reunited on what is presumably a one-year deal. It’s been a forgettable few years for Beckham, who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019, and managed just nine catches for 55 yards in 2024 and generated little to no interest last offseason while also being handed a six-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. While he’s undoubtedly the most decorated pass-catcher in the Giants’ receiver room, Beckham joins a cast of seasoned vets to go along with Malik Nabers, who is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last season. He’ll likely face legitimate competition for snaps and seems unlikely to make much of a fantasy impact for managers in 2026.

Berrios was one of four receivers to work out for the Giants on Monday, with the most notable being free agent Odell Beckham Jr. Whether or not Berrios’ signing will have an impact on OBJ joining the team remains to be seen, but unlike Beckham, Berrios was actually in the league last season. The 30-year-old receiver caught six passes for 37 yards for the Texans last season, and perhaps most importantly, has a lengthy resumé on special teams. After losing return man Gunner Olszewski to a torn Achilles last week, the Giants are in need of help in the return game. Berrios has a 191 combined kick and punt returns for his career and was a First-team All-Pro as a return man in 2021.