The Minnesota Vikings released their injury report for Thursday and it showed a little bit of improvement.
CB Akayleb Evans (calf): Did not practice
RB Alexander Mattison: (concussion): Limited
ILB Brian Asamoah (ankle): Limited
TE T.J. Hockenson (ribs): Limited
QB Nick Mullens (back): Limited
QB Josh Dobbs (ankle): Full
QB Jaren Hall (concussion): Full
DE Dean Lowry (groin): Full
WR K.J. Osborn (concussion): Full
G Chris Reed (foot): Full
There were three changes from yesterday’s report. Greg Joseph was removed after missing practice on Wednesday due to a personal matter. Hall improved to a full participant and Mattison improved to a limited participant. Both players are hoping to be removed from concussion protocol before Sunday’s game.
The biggest concern is Evans still not practicing with his calf injury. If he is unable to go, we would be seeing a substantial amount of both Andrew Booth Jr. and Mekhi Blackmon. We also would likely see Joejuan Williams get elevated from the practice squad.
Friday’s injury report will hopefully have more clarity and less names.
The initial injury report includes quarterback Josh Dobbs
The Minnesota Vikings have released their initial injury report for Sunday night’s game against the Denver Broncos and it’s relatively deep. The Vikings did not practice on Wednesday but held a walkthrough.
CB Akayleb Evans (calf): Did not practice
K Greg Joseph (not injury related-personal matter): Did not practice
RB Alexander Mattison: (concussion): Did not practice
ILB Brian Asamoah (ankle): Limited
QB Jaren Hall (concussion): Limited
TE T.J. Hockenson (ribs): Limited
QB Nick Mullens (back): Limited
QB Josh Dobbs (ankle): Full
DE Dean Lowry (groin): Full
WR K.J. Osborn (concussion): Full
G Chris Reed (foot): Full
The biggest additions to the list are Evans, Mattison and Dobbs. Evans suffered his injury on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. The team has some hope that Mattison will play on Sunday despite not participating in the walkthrough. Dobbs’ ankle is a new injury that wasn’t reported before.
Lowry did see improvement from last week being listed as a full participant. He looks to be on track to play against the Broncos. Asamoah still hasn’t improved from last week. His injury paired with Hicks being hurt explains the Anthony Barr signing.
Thursday’s injury report will tell us more about who will play on Sunday.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media on Wednesday and updated multiple Vikings injuries
The Minnesota Vikings have been bitten hard by the injury bug over the last few weeks.
From Justin Jefferson to Kirk Cousins and plenty of players in between, there are a lot of injuries that the team has been dealing with. Right when someone gets healthy, another player gets injured. It’s been a constant battle, but the war of attrition hasn’t gotten the team down yet.
On Wednesday, head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media and provided updates on six players
Jalen Nailor is set to make his 2023 season debut against the Saints
The Minnesota Vikings released their inactives for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
S Lewis Cine
QB Jaren Hall
WR K.J. Osborn
ILB Brian Asamoah II
TE Nick Muse
OL Hakeem Adeniji
DE Dean Lowry
No major surprises on the inactive list. Hall was already ruled out and Lowry was doubtful. Osborn was ruled out earlier Sunday morning and won’t attend the game either. The Vikings are playing it smart with Osborn.
Asamoah was questionable but was likely to be out once the Vikings added Nick Vigil to the active roster on Saturday morning.
The big one here is Cine, who is inactive for the sixth time this season. Two of those games were due to the hamstring injury he suffered and he has yet to play a single defensive snap this season. Why is he not playing even special teams? Well, it’s likely that Jay Ward is just better at special teams.
The good part about the inactive list is that Jalen Nailor isn’t included. He will make his season debut after sitting out for the better part of four months with a hamstring injury.
Kevin O’Connell has the Minnesota Vikings playing at an absurdly high level for the type of adversity they have faced.
Kevin O’Connell started his post-game press conference on Sunday with the following quote, and nothing could be more indicative of the spectacle we witnessed.
“I don’t know [if] I’ve been a part of one like that…when you think about all the things you talk about every single day in your organization. That people matter, that culture matters. Building the type of football team we want to have. What’s inside of each and every guy in that locker room, and the feelings they have towards one another. These are the days that cement why you believe what you believe as a coach. I’ll quite honestly remember this one for a long time.”
There aren’t many times when the football world can’t believe that a phenomenon occurred. The game has been played for over 150 years, so it’s tough to surprise most fans and analysts.
But even so, Josh Dobbs and this Minnesota Vikings team found a way to surprise the entire football world by beating the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Everyone knows the story.
Dobbs had not taken any practice snaps due to the need to prepare rookie Jaren Hall at all costs. So, when Hall became concussed after only the second drive of the game, Dobbs was thrown into the fires of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, just 30 minutes away from his hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia.
Dobbs had his faults as he traversed his new reality of being thrown into a new scheme, with new terminology in just five days. But with the help of Kevin O’Connell and the rest of this coaching staff, Minnesota pulled off a victory with enough magnitude to potentially define a season.
Did Hall do enough to keep the starting job once he returns from his concussion? Tyler Forness breaks down the all-22
The Minnesota Vikings looked like they possibly had a success story as a fifth-round pick Jaren Hall. He looked poised and comfortable under center and drove the Vikings down the field.
Unfortunately, Hall suffered a concussion on the second drive and didn’t get a chance to finish the game. It allowed Josh Dobbs to come in and lead the Vikings to their most memorable victory in some time.
It also creates a conundrum for the rest of the season. What do the Vikings do at the quarterback position the rest of the season? Do they stick with Dobbs or truly see what Hall has?
Based on his limited play, that might be worthwhile.
O’Connell provided multiple injury updates during Monday’s press conference
The Minnesota Vikings scrounged out a win in Atlanta over the Falcons by a score of 31-28 but they didn’t come out of it unscathed.
Throughout the game, they batted adversity with injuries across the board, especially at the skill positions. In his Monday press conference, head coach Kevin O’Connell provided injury updates on multiple Vikings, including three of the best players on the roster.
Minnesota’s incredible win against the Atlanta Falcons saw some stocks fall, but saw plenty of them rise.
The Minnesota Vikings did the unthinkable and pulled out a win against the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 31-28.
The offense had to get past concussions from fill-in starting rookie quarterback Jaren Hall and wide receiver K.J. Osborn. Not to mention a season-ending Achilles injury from running back Cam Akers. Josh Dobbs and Brandon Powell stepped up in a big way to help the Vikings get the win.
Minnesota fought hard in Mercedez-Benz Stadium to compete with the NFC South division front-runners and ended up finishing the job.
The Vikings continue their post-Kirk Cousins playoff run and some stocks certainly rose, while others took a hit as Minnesota stares down the second half of their season.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
C.J. Stroud
470-10
5
Joshua Dobbs
158-66
3
Dak Prescott
374-14
3
Jalen Hurts
207-36
3
Tyson Bagent
220-70
2
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Rachaad White
20-73
4-46
2
Rhamondre Stevenson
9-87
4-42
1
Josh Jacobs
26-98
2
Keaton Mitchell
9-138
1-(-4)
1
Aaron Jones
20-73
4-26
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
CeeDee Lamb
11-191
0
Tank Dell
6-114
2
Noah Brown
6-153
1
Amari Cooper
5-139
1
Diontae Johnson
7-90
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Dalton Schultz
10-130
1
Cade Otton
6-70
2
Cole Kmet
6-55
2
Jake Ferguson
7-91
1
Jonnu Smith
5-100
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Younghoe Koo
2
4
Chase McLaughlin
4
3
Justin Tucker
4
3
Daniel Carlson
3
3
Greg Joseph
2
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Browns
7-3
0
Colts
4-3
2
Raiders
8-2
0
Ravens
4-2
0
Saints
2-5
0
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Jaren Hall – Concussion
QB Daniel Jones – Knee
RB Cam Akers – Ankle
RB Kendre Miller – Ankle
RB Cordarrelle Patterson – Ankle
WR Mack Hollins – Ankle
WR K.J. Osborn – Concussion
WR Marquise Goodwin – Head
WR John Metchie – Ribs
WR Josh Downs – Knee
TE Dallas Goedert – Forearm
TE T.J. Hockenson – Oblique/ribs
PK Ka’imi Fairbairn – Quad
Chasing Ambulances
QB Daniel Jones – The fear is that he tore his ACL and would be lost for the season. The Giants passing offense has been one of the least productive and devoid of reliable fantasy value. If Jones is gone, the Giants only have the rookie Tommy DeVito or Matt Barkley for when they play in Dallas for Week 10.
RB Cam Akers – He injured his left Achilles, and the severity will be determined on Monday. He already tore his right Achilles while with the Rams, and any time that Akers misses will benefit Alexander Mattison more as he would inherit back some of the workload that Akers had taken.
WR K.J. Osborn – The Vikings wideout was carted from the field after temporarily laying motionless. He appeared to have a serious concussion and Brandon Powell would later catch a touchdown at the end of the game to provide the winning margin. Jalen Nailor is the primary backup for Osborn, but Powell is more likely to see expanded use. Justin Jefferson will return at some point as well, but for this week versus the Saints, Powell is the most likely to see a bump in targets.
WR Josh Downs – The rookie was already questionable entering the game with a knee injury he suffered in practice on Thursday. He was active for the game in Carolina but left after one catch with a knee injury – assumedly the one that hampered his practices leading up to the game. Isaiah McKenzie will replace him if needed.
TE Dallas Goedert – He injured his forearm which was awkwardly caught underneath him as he was tackled. He was immediately brought back to the X-ray room and ruled out. The Eagles are already without Grant Calcaterra (concussion) but the Eagles head onto their bye for Week 10. If Goedert missed any time, his targets would more likely shift to the wideouts and running backs than be directly applied to a backup tight end
TE T.J. Hockenson – He injured his oblique and ribs but was able to finish the game. That suggests he’ll be good to go for the Saints this week, but it bears tracking in practice.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QBJoshua Dobbs (MIN) – The rookie Jaren Hall only lasted for nine passes before suffering a concussion. Dobbs entered the game having never had a practice rep with the Vikings. He completed 20-of-30 for 158 yards and two passing scores, plus he ran for 66 yards on seven runs with another touchdown. Imagine what he can do when he practices, learns the plays, and knows the names of his teammates. Justin Jefferson is eligible to return next week, but that may not happen.
QB Tyson Bagent (CHI) – He is improving. The undrafted rookie threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the loss at the Saints, and he ran for 70 yards on eight scrambles. They host the Panthers this week, so Bagent has a shot at another decent performance.
RB Keaton Mitchell (BAL) – The rookie finally had his first carry of the year and ended with nine runs for 138 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for a four-yard loss. He was popular with fans in the summer but suffered a shoulder injury and later a hamstring strain. The East Carolina back runs a 4.37 40-time . He broke a 60-yard run and later ran 40 yards for a touchdown in the win over the Seahawks. And it wasn’t just late fourth-quarter mop-up duty. Mitchell had runs in every quarter. Gus Edwards scored twice on his five runs for 50 yards and the Ravens let the rookie get more reps in the game that was decided early.
WR Noah Brown (HOU) – He’s only played in four games, but Brown led the team with 153 yards on six catches with a touchdown against the Buccaneers. His previous best was only three catches for 57 yards (Week 8). That’s probably a single-game performance, but it was impressive on a day when C.J. Stroud passed for 470 yards.
TE Cade Otton (TB) – The Texan defense is actually good against the pass but weakest versus tight ends. That showed up on Sunday when the Bucs’ Otton caught six passes for 70 yards and two scores – all season-high marks. He’s seen more use in the last three weeks, and the success of Week 9 should help him stay in the game plan.
QB Taylor Heinicke (ATL) – Hidden behind the defensive collapse of the Falcons was Heinicke’s first start. He replaced Desmond Ridder, who had a 28-24 lead over the Vikings with only two minutes left to play. He played without Drake London and passed for 100 yards to Jonnu Smith while Kyle Pitts (4-56) was better than usual. HC Arthur Smith said Ridder remains the starter, so they may return to him at the Cardinals this week. But their personnel decisions are often surprising, like letting Tyler Allgeier (12-39, TD) carry more often than Bijan Robinson (11-51) despite the greater effectiveness of Robinson.
RB Aaron Jones (GB) – After disappointing over the first eight games of the season, Jones ran 20 times for 76 yards and a touchdown, plus caught four passes for 26 yards. Jones had never had more than 11 touches in a game, so it is encouraging to see him with a heavier workload.
RB Rachaad White (TB) – The Bucs starting running back hasn’t set the world on fire and had not scored since Week 2. But he was better for two weeks with around 100 total yards and then became the No. 1 fantasy running back for Week 9 when he ran for 73 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns and caught four passes for 76 yards. He’s taking over the backfield and getting more touches. The Bucs still handed out seven carries between Chase Edmonds (3-(-5)) and Ke’Shawn Vaughn (4-9) but White is rising in the rankings.
RB D’Onta Foreman (CHI) – The Bears lost to the Saints, but Foreman carried the ball 20 times for 83 yards – more carries in a game than any other Bear this year. Roschon Johnson only ran twice for six yards and caught a nine-yard pass. Foreman is looking good for this week at home versus the Panthers.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
C.J. Stroud – The rookie just set the all-time record for a rookie quarterback with 470 passing yards, breaking Andrew Luck’s 433 yards in 2012. His five touchdown passes tie an all-time NFL record for a rookie. He is only the second rookie quarterback with 400 yards and five touchdowns in a game. Stroud only needed 40 of the 46 seconds left to play when he drove the Texans from their 25-yard line and ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tank Dell with six seconds left to play.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
