Another Damning Vikings Injury Becomes Official
The hits keep on comin’.
The Vikings have headlines for injury-related reasons this week, virtually across the board, and one man is headed to injured reserve.
Injuries in the last two weeks have bashed the Minnesota Vikings, and Tuesday brought a new chapter: running back Aaron Jones will hit IR.
Vikings’ Relentless Injury Woes Continue
No stranger to hamstring injuries, Jones is out for at least four games.
Aaron Jones Heading to Injured Reserve
No, the Vikings cannot catch a break. Absolutely not. Not allowed.
NFL.com‘s Grant Gordon wrote Tuesday, “Aaron Jones’ hamstring injury will keep him out for longer than just Week 3. The Minnesota Vikings are placing Jones on injured reserve, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday, adding another injury woe to a suddenly depleted offense.
“Jones was injured during Sunday night’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Monday the veteran back would miss the team’s Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.”
You can stick a fork in Jones for four games; he cannot return until October 23rd.
The Latest of Many Brutal Blows
Jones isn’t a standalone injury story. The Vikings’ roster is absolutely peppered with ailments just two weeks in.
Here’s the list of injured notable players:
- Aaron Jones
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Blake Cashman
- C.J. Ham
- Christian Darrisaw
- Gabriel Murphy
- Harrison Smith
- J.J. McCarthy
- Jeff Okudah
- Justin Skule
- Rondale Moore
- Ryan Kelly
- Ty Chandler
Minnesota’s season has rapidly turned into a question of whether the club can survive these maladies or risk devolving into a lost year.
Jordan Mason as the Next Man Up
Without Jones, Jordan Mason will take the reins of RB1, and some fans have recommended the arrangement regardless of a Jones injury.
Mason has performed well in his first two games with the new franchise, even snagging more touches than Jones on offense, which wasn’t necessarily on the menu as recently as two weeks ago.
Minnesota traded for Mason back in March, a deal with the San Francisco 49ers involving a 6th-Round draft pick that it previously extracted from the Houston Texans in a deal with offensive guard Ed Ingram.
Mason could be featured as the Vikings’ bellcow running back in the next month. In fact, that could be the expectation.
A Week 8 Return
Jones can return in Week 8, a meeting in Los Angeles with the Chargers. That’s a Thursday night game, and it’s the earliest that that 30-year-old will be eligible to hop off IR.
By that time, Minnesota may have righted the ship, and Jones’ return will feel like a sweet injection for the offense. Otherwise, if the quarterback performance doesn’t stabilize, Jones may return to a team whose fan base is already sizing up the 2026 NFL Draft.
More on Mason, the New RB1
DK Network‘s Sean Barnard opined this week on Mason’s de facto promotion: “The biggest thing that has held Mason back to this point has been the lack of opportunities. He has received 20+ carries in just three games in his career and rushed for a combined 370 rushing yards and three touchdowns in these chances.”
“The Georgia Tech product has also never been held below 56 rushing yards in any game that he has had double-digit carries. Mason should be in line for this type of role this week and, even despite his inexperience, should largely be viewed as the safety blanket of this Vikings offense.”
Mason has averaged 4.1 yards per carry through two games.
Barnard continued, “Expect O’Connell to look to keep the game simple for Carson Wentz and for Mason to be a key part of this effort. With a friendly defensive matchup and plenty of expected opportunities, count on him having a strong fantasy football output. Have Mason penciled in as a top 10 fantasy football running back this week, even if the yards and chances come a bit ugly.”
“Jones and McCarthy, as well as one rushing attempt from Justin Jefferson, are the only other players to have logged a rushing attempt for Minnesota this year, and count on Mason delivering as the more sure part of this Vikings’ offense in Week 3.”
If there were ever a moment for Mason to solidify himself as a tried-and-true RB1 in the NFL, that is now.
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