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Jaren Hall Jaren Hall Gets questionable tag for Week 4
Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:46 PM
Hall is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Carolina after not practicing Friday due to a personal matter.
Analysis: According to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell expects Hall to rejoin the team in Carolina ahead of Sunday's contest. Hall hasn't been active for any of the Vikings' first three games and will likely serve as the team's emergency No. 3 quarterback Sunday. |
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Cam Akers Cam Akers Expected to play Week 4
Wed, Sep 27, 2023, 1:52 PM
Coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that he plans to have Akers active for Sunday's game in Carolina, Matthew Coller of Purple Insider reports.
Analysis: The Vikings acquired Akers last Wednesday and made him a healthy scratch for Sunday's loss to the Chargers. O'Connell said last week that he still views Alexander Mattison as the lead back -- something that's unlikely to change in the immediate future after Mattison rebounded from a rough start to the season with 25 touches for 125 yards this past Sunday. A benching down the road is still possible, of course, and if nothing else Akers will face soft competition for backup touches with Ty Chandler being the only other RB currently on the roster. |
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Josh Oliver Josh Oliver Gets first TD of season
Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 3:26 PM
Oliver had two receptions for four yards, including a four-yard touchdown, in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Oliver is mostly a blocking tight end as he went out on a route on just 8 of 27 snaps on offense. He could be an occasional option in the red zone, but it was just his third touchdown reception in 38 career games. |
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Brandon Powell Brandon Powell Gets first reception of season
Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 3:22 PM
Powell had one reception for five yards on his lone target in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Powell played five snaps on offense and got a target when Justin Jefferson briefly missed time due to a leg cramp. He looks like the fourth wideout on the depth chart, but is rarely used on offense if the top three are healthy. |
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Ty Chandler Ty Chandler Has 31 total yards in backup role
Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 3:18 PM
Chandler had three carries for 27 yards and one reception for four yards on two targets in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Chandler worked as the backup to Alexander Mattison and played on 12 of the offense's 83 snaps. While Chandler showed a spark in the running game (9.0 YPC), he could move to a third-string role Week 4 at Carolina if Cam Akers joins the active game-day roster after his trade from the Rams. |
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K.J. Osborn K.J. Osborn Gets TD on lone reception
Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 3:09 PM
Osborn had one reception for a 36-yard touchdown on three targets in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Osborn started at receiver over Jordan Addison and played more snaps (77 to 59) on offense, but Addison had six receptions for 52 yards on eight targets. Osborn is getting more playing time due to his prowess as a run blocker, but he's fallen behind Addison in terms of his role in the passing game. |
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Kirk Cousins Kirk Cousins Another admirable effort in loss
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 8:30 PM
Cousins completed 32 of 50 passes for 367 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Cousins reached 50 pass attempts in a game for the sixth time in his career, with Sunday's game marking his second-lowest yardage total in those contests. Nevertheless, it was a good performance that was highlighted by long touchdown strikes of 52 and 36 yards and also included four additional completions of greater than 20 yards. Though the Vikings are 0-3, Cousins has multiple passing scores and has topped 340 yards in all three games to this point. |
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Alexander Mattison Alexander Mattison Tallies 125 total yards
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 8:04 PM
Mattison rushed the ball 20 times for 93 yards in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers. He added five receptions for 32 yards.
Analysis: Cam Akers (coach's decision) was inactive after being acquired earlier in the week, leaving Mattison as the lead back once again. Mattison made the case to keep the role moving forward with production as both a rusher and receiver. Entering Sunday's action, he had just 62 total yards on the ground through two games, but he managed to easily surpass that mark with four of his 20 carries going for double-digit gains. Mattison also has at least four targets in every contest this season, though it remains to be seen how the Vikings plan to incorporate Akers into the offense, presumably starting in Week 4 against Carolina. |
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T.J. Hockenson T.J. Hockenson Racks up 11 targets
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:26 PM
Hockenson recorded eight receptions on 11 targets for 78 yards in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Hockenson has been heavily reliant upon volume for production early this season, and that trend continued Sunday. He finished second on the team in targets but tallied only two catches that went for more than 10 yards. Hockenson will remain a must-start fantasy option as long as he holds such a key role in the offense -- he has at least eight looks in all three games this season. On the other hand, his production relative to his opportunity has been unimpressive, as he's averaging only 6.4 yards per target on the campaign while racking up 179 total yards. |
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Jordan Addison Jordan Addison Overshadowed in loss
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:04 PM
Addison recorded six receptions on eight targets for 52 yards in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Addison had only one target and no receptions in the first half despite Kirk Cousins taking to the air 20 times. That changed in the second half, as he took on an expanded role while working primarily in short areas of the field. While it wasn't his biggest statistical performance of the season, Addison garnered a season-best eight targets and should continue to see his role in the offense grow. |
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Justin Jefferson Justin Jefferson Another 149 yards
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 3:40 PM
Jefferson recorded seven receptions on 13 targets for 149 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Jefferson has posted nearly identical lines in all three games this season, gaining between 149 and 159 yards in each contest. His production Sunday was powered by four catches of more than 20 yards, the highlight of which came on a 52-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter when he caught a short pass over the middle of the field before out-racing the defense to the end zone. Jefferson briefly stayed down in the field late in the game, but it appeared to be just a cramp, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic. He should be ready to play in Week 4 against Carolina, but his practice status early in the week will be worth monitoring. |
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Nick Mullens Nick Mullens Active again Sunday
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 11:03 AM
Mullens is active for the third straight game for Minnesota and locked in as the second quarterback ahead of the inactive Jaren Hall.
Analysis: The seventh-year pro is the backup to Minnesota starter Kirk Cousins. Mullens signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Vikings in March and went 14-of-20 with 139 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in a preseason appearance. |
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Cam Akers Cam Akers Not playing Week 3
Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 10:55 AM
Akers (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Chargers.
Analysis: Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell suggested Friday that Akers wouldn't dress this weekend, so the running back's inactive status comes as no surprise. Minnesota wants to give Akers -- who was acquired from the Rams on Wednesday -- more time to get acclimated to his new organization, so he'll turn his sights toward making his NFL debut next Sunday at Carolina after getting in a full week of practice. Akers will likely be ticketed for a depth role initially, but he could emerge as the Vikings' lead back if Alexander Mattison's early season struggles continue. |
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Alexander Mattison Alexander Mattison Still has coach's confidence
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 4:18 PM
Coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Friday that he still views Mattison as the Vikings' lead back after a recent trade for Cam Akers, who is unlikely to play this Sunday against the Chargers, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: O'Connell went as far as saying nothing has changed for Mattison despite his rough start to the season and now the addition of a 2020 second-round pick to Minnesota's backfield. In reality, Mattison is on the hot seat, though Akers won't necessarily provide the stiffest competition given his inconsistent tenure in Los Angeles. Akers finished his rookie year strong and had a nice four-week stretch to close out last season, but it's otherwise been a series of demotions and subpar performances ever since he tore his Achilles in the summer of 2021. O'Connell said Akers won't be ready to play for his new team this Sunday, giving Mattison at least one more game with only Ty Chandler taking away any backfield snaps. |
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Cam Akers Cam Akers Unlikely to play Sunday
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 1:25 PM
Coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that Akers isn't expected to suit up Sunday against the Chargers, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: Given that he was dealt from L.A. to Minnesota on Wednesday and passed a physical Thursday, Akers didn't have much time to get up to speed with his new squad, despite his previous experience working with O'Connell on the Rams in 2020 and 2021. Akers thus will set his sights on making his Vikings debut Sunday, Oct. 1 at Carolina. In the meantime, Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler will lead Minnesota's backfield. |
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Jalen Nailor Jalen Nailor Headed to IR
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 2:56 PM
Nailor (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Thursday.
Analysis: The second-year wideout has been placed on IR after being a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. Nailor was restricted to special teams while playing in Minnesota's first two games, recording one total tackle. He'll now be forced to miss at least the next four weeks of the Vikings' campaign and will be eligible to return as early as Week 7. |
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Cam Akers Cam Akers Passes physical Thursday
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 2:42 PM
Akers passed a physical Thursday, completing the trade made between the Vikings and Rams on Wednesday.
Analysis: Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Akers will be present at Thursday's practice, giving him two chances to get some on-field work with his new team ahead of Sunday's game against the Chargers. It remains to be seen how much Akers may be utilized out of Vikings backfield this weekend, assuming he's active. If he does suit up, he'll likely play second fiddle to Alexander Mattison off the bat as he vies with Ty Chandler for secondary RB reps. Still, Akers' experience working with coach Kevin O'Connell in 2020 and 2021 in L.A. should serve him well in his transition to Minnesota. |
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Cam Akers Cam Akers Could play Sunday
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 12:23 PM
Akers is likely to be available to play at least some snaps in Sunday's game against the Chargers given his familiarity with Minnesota's offense, which is modeled after the Rams' scheme, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips told ESPN.
Analysis: Akers was traded to Minnesota along with a conditional seventh-round 2026 draft pick from the Rams on Wednesday for a conditional sixth-round 2026 draft pick. While Akers may play this week, it's hard to see him having much of a role given he'll have been with his new team just a few days. However, it seems likely he'll quickly move ahead of Ty Chandler to No. 2 on the depth chart given Chandler has been little used (just seven touches in two games). It's also not hard to envision Akers soon moving into a time share with starter Alexander Mattison given his struggles (a lost fumble in Week 2 and just 62 yards rushing on 19 carries for a paltry 3.3 YPC). However, Akers still has much to prove after his own underwhelming performance this season (29 yards rushing on 22 attempts in Week 1). |
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Alexander Mattison Alexander Mattison Vikings haven't lost confidence
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 12:08 PM
The Vikings have not lost confidence in Mattison despite Wednesday's trade for Cam Akers, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips told reporters Thursday. "Unfortunately we've had a couple turnovers in the run game where we obviously need to clean that up. Everyone's aware of that. But we still feel very strongly in Alex and [backup Ty Chandler] and those guys being able to go in and produce," Phillips told ESPN.
Analysis: Mattison has had a slow start to the season with a lost fumble in Week 2 and just 62 yards rushing on 19 carries for a paltry 3.3 YPC. Akers may not play much this week against the Chargers as he gets up to speed on the offense, but could quickly move past Ty Chandler for the backup role. Given Mattison's struggles, it's not hard to envision Akers moving into a time share with Mattison. However, Akers still has much to prove after his own underwhelming performance this season (29 yards rushing on 22 attempts in Week 1). |
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Jalen Nailor Jalen Nailor Logs limited practice
Wed, Sep 20, 2023, 6:45 PM
Nailor (hamstring) was a limited participant at the Vikings' practice Wednesday.
Analysis: Nailor is dealing with an apparent hamstring injury and his status for Week 3 versus Los Angeles is potentially in question. Minnesota has two more practices this week before they take on the Chargers on Sunday and the wide receiver's status will be worth monitoring. |
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