Here’s the Next Man Up if Jordan Addison Can’t Play
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was hobbled entering Week 1 at the New York Giants — and left even more hobbled.
Here’s the Next Man Up if Jordan Addison Can’t Play
The purple team beat the New York Giants on the road 28-6, the club’s largest win per score margin in five years. Addison’s injury was the only negative detail.
And if Addison cannot play this Sunday — the Vikings host the Super Bowl-contending San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium — head coach Kevin O’Connell made sure to nominate WR3 Jalen Nailor as the go-to replacement.
Nailor — also no stranger to injury — remained healthy after Week 1 after limited participation in practice last week. Yes, he and Nailor nursed bad ankles before Minnesota’s triumph over New York. Now, however, if Addison is possibly on tap to miss Week 2, Nailor would morph into WR2 for a week.
O’Connell said Monday, “I’m going to tell Speedy [Jalen Nailor] to prepare as if you’re going to be playing a lot more snaps and a lot more first-, second- and early-down snaps. That’s why he’s here. A ton of confidence in him to go be an every-down receiver for us.”
Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer tweeted about Addison’s status, “Jordan Addison has ‘significant soreness’ in latest ankle injury, Kevin O’Connell said today. He’ll be ‘limited at most’ this week, but they’re waiting to see how he recovers.”
Nailor caught a pass on Sunday, a rather important one from Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, taking the transaction to the house and extending Minnesota’s lead. It was his single mark on the afternoon, and Nailor scored from 21 yards out.
This week, Nailor could utilized more.
Minnesota found Nailor in Round 6 of the 2022 NFL Draft. He tallied 9 receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown in his rookie campaign, along with some flashy clips to whet fans’ appetites for the offseason. Thereafter, the 2023 season arrived, and Nailor’s campaign was undone by — you guessed it — injuries. He saw action in six games and was targeted in the Vikings’ passing game just six times.
Nailor’s role will be vital because Minnesota may have gotten away with an Addison-less 2nd Half versus the Giants, but the 49ers are a different beast. Darnold will need all his playmakers and then some for Minnesota to pull off the upset. San Francisco is favored to win by 5.5 points.
More information on Addison’s injury status will be learned this week, likely all the way to Friday’s final injury report.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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