The NFL is releasing its full schedule for the 2026 season on Thursday, and the Minnesota Vikings are going to be a team to watch. With a quarterback battle set to brew between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy this offseason, how that shapes up will determine a lot about the schedule.

It’s not just about who you play, but also when you play them. The way the schedule shapes up is going to matter a lot. There are going to be some really interesting elements that come with the schedule. What should the Vikings be looking for with the schedule to help them win as many games as possible? Let’s look at a couple things that could be impactful, and it all is about playing teams early.

Vikings want Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers early

There are a couple of different reasons why the Vikings would want both the Packers and 49ers early. Simply put: injuries.

For the Packers, Micah Parsons tore his ACL late in the season against the Denver Broncos. It shifted the course of the Packers’ season, and was ultimately a big reason why they were eliminated from the playoffs. Even if Parsons is back early in the season, it’s likely that he won’t be as impactful. He decimated McCarthy in the first matchup last season, but missed the second one in Week 18.

The same goes for George Kittle. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon late in the season, and at age 33, it will be much harder to come back from. With how Kyle Shanahan prioritizes the running game, not having Kittle could be a major impact on who wins the game. They aren’t the only injured players the Vikings will want to see early.

Daniel Jones revenge game

The Vikings ended up missing out on keeping Daniel Jones after the 2024 season, and his departure ended up helping Minnesota get a third-round compensatory selection. He picked going to the Indianapolis Colts over the Vikings because the path to starting was easier. He was right, and became one of the best stories of the 2025 season.

Unfortunately, he broke his leg and shortly thereafter ruptured his Achilles tendon. That essentially ended the season for the Colts. Getting the Colts potentially without Jones or not at 100%.

The Miami Dolphins intrigue

There aren’t many things more dangerous than a team that’s overlooked because of the talent on it.

The Dolphins are eating an insanely high $179.2 million in cap space, and only 10 players currently have salary cap hits above $2 million, with that number set to grow by just three once rookie contracts are signed.

Being that the Dolphins have so many players on one-year contracts and $152 million in projected salary cap space, it could prove to be a difficult trap game. They will end up being easier to beat before they start building chemistry over the course of the season. Getting them early in the season could help propel the Vikings to a win.