Vikings Could Get Depth Pieces Back for Week 9
The Minnesota Vikings are set to do battle with the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in a Week 9 matchup between two 4-4 teams.
Both squads remain on the edge of playoff contention, and a victory this weekend would go a long ways towards boosting their chances of making the tournament.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, the Vikings could be getting some depth pieces back as WR Jalen Nailor and IOL Chris Reed were full participants in Thursday’s practice once again.
Vikings Could Get Depth Pieces Back for Week 9
Here is a look at the full Vikings injury report from Thursday:
- DE Dean Lowry (Groin, DNP)
- LB Brian Asamoah (Ankle, Limited)
- CB Akayleb Evans (Neck, Limited)
- WR K.J. Osborn (Chest, Limited)
- WR Brandon Powell (Shoulder, Limited)
- WR Jalen Nailor (Full, Hamstring)
- IOL Chris Reed (Full, Foot)
Essentially, this is the same injury report as Wednesday, so the statuses of both K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell could be in question for this weekend.
Osborn is coming off his best game of the season against the Green Bay Packers as he caught 8 passes for 99 yards during the victory. So far this season, the veteran receiver has hauled in 30 receptions for 360 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Powell has emerged as the WR3 behind Jordan Addison and Osborn in the aftermath of Justin Jefferson’s hamstring injury. During Minnesota’s three-game winning streak, the former Los Angeles Ram has caught 7 passes for 94 yards.
If these two are less than 100% heading into Sunday, Nailor’s role with the offense could become an important one as Jefferson is still ineligible to return to the field until Week 10.
The second-year receiver recorded 9 receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown during his rookie season, but he is yet to record a snap with the offense yet this season. Nailor has been on IR since the conclusion of Week 2 with a hamstring injury.
If Powell were to sit out, the duties of punt returner also become a question for the Vikings. He has handled that position throughout the year, recording a league-high 17 punt returns for 119 yards.
Nailor had some experience at the position during his time at Michigan State, returning 8 punts for 48 yards during his time there. He has been in the mix for the position during his two seasons in the NFL, but ultimately, the Vikings have opted to find those services elsewhere.
Finally, DE Dean Lowry remained listed as a DNP while LB Brian Asamoah and CB Akayleb Evans were limited for the second consecutive day.
The Vikings will release one more injury report on Friday when we will get initial game statuses for the players on the list. Hopefully, Minnesota can go into this game as healthy as possible without Kirk Cousins and Jefferson in the lineup.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.