The 40 Most Important Vikings of 2026: No. 38 — Demond Claiborne

The Minnesota Vikings’ offense could be totally unlocked under head coach Kevin O’Connell if he could find a way to run the ball efficiently, and rookie Demond Claiborne is now on the roster to help.

Claiborne also checks in at No. 38 on VikesNow‘s Top 40 most important Vikings players of 2026. Here’s why.

Why Demond Claiborne Ranks No. 38

Claiborne’s Role in 2026

Claiborne has one “problem” as a rookie: two seasoned veterans live ahead of him on the depth chart. The Vikings asked Aaron Jones to accept a pay cut this offseason, and he obliged. Jones is back. Jordan Mason is also in the saddle for one more year; he’s in the prime of his career. Behind those two, Zavier Scott fulfilled RB3 duties in 2025.

So, Claiborne is not entering the Vikings’ offense with a request to save the day. He’ll be sprinkled among Jones and Mason, probably executing a stereotypical RB3 role.

It’s worth noting that Jones usually gets hurt and misses games in a given regular season. That would be Claiborne’s time to shine, promoted to RB2 for an undetermined number of games.

And because of his speed — he ran a 4.37 forty at the NFL Combine – – Claiborne could also be utilized on special teams.

What Success Looks Like

As a rookie, Claiborne just needs touches. Not long ago, Minnesota drafted a running back named DeWayne McBride, and he rather vividly didn’t have the tools to remain in the NFL. He never saw the light of day in the regular season. Claiborne can’t be like that.

Success looks like 75 touches on offense with 350-400 yards from scrimmage. Anything else would be gravy, mainly because Claiborne is a 6th-rounder, and rookies from that round cannot be expected to be proficient right away – – or at all. Sixth-rounders are lottery tickets.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell must devise a method to use Claiborne’s speed on offense. O’Connell leads an offense that desperately needs improvement via running the ball; Claiborne can be a part of the fix.

RotoBaller‘s Will Brady recently wrote about Claiborne, “Weighing in at under 200 lbs., Claiborne is a bit undersized for a true three-down role in the NFL. Still, he brings high-end speed and could be worth targeting as a dynasty stash candidate in rookie drafts.”

What Could Make This Ranking Look Too Low – – or Too High

Foremost, Claiborne must avoid another McBride outcome. Lightning likely won’t strike twice – – in a bad way – – but it must be mentioned for full disclosure. Claiborne cannot be a total footnote as a rookie; otherwise this ranking would be way too high.

The No. 38 ranking may also be too low if Claiborne breaks out. If he proves to have the necessary tackle-breaking acumen for an RB1 or RB2 job, in addition to elite vision, well, the speed is already there. Claiborne also has the perk of working with Vikings assistant head coach Frank Smith, who coordinated the Miami Dolphins’ offense for the last four seasons, three of which overlapped with De’Von Achane, who has a remarkably similar build and skill set to Claiborne. Smith could get in his bag and unlock Claiborne, like he did Achane.

Thankfully, Claiborne already turned heads at Vikings organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp. There’s early momentum. The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis noted in May, “The more consistency the Vikings can get out of sixth-round running back Demond Claiborne early on, the better chance he’ll have to contribute this fall.”

“Beyond running backs coach Curtis Modkins, many of the Vikings’ coaches and personnel staffers present were attentive to the running backs drills.”

Next in the Countdown

So far, these Vikings have filled out the bottom of the list:

Next up is another rookie at No. 37: Northwestern offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan. Minnesota picked Tiernan in Round 3 three months ago, despite employing two foundational offensive tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. He’ll be vital to the enterprise if injuries rock the 2026 campaign, and he’ll obviously be a part of the franchise for the next four years.

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VikesNow Verdict: Claiborne’s speed gives him a legitimate path to partake immediately, even if Jones and Mason control most of the backfield work. Special teams snaps and a few explosive offensive touches would justify this ranking. If he becomes the clear next man up behind Minnesota’s veterans, No. 38 could look conservative.
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About The Author

Dustin Baker

Dustin Baker is the co-founder and editor of VikesNow, a novelist, a writer at CBS Sports, and a political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders, is out now, along with his debut thriller, The Motor Route. He hosts VikesNow on YouTube and has followed the Minnesota Vikings intently since 1996. Guilty pleasures include peanut butter ice cream, The Sopranos, Basset Hounds, and The Doors.

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