No. 19 (down 3 spots): Eric Edholm, NFL.com
The two questions on everyone’s minds: 1) When will J.J. McCarthy return? 2) How much faith will the staff have in him when he does? The answer to No. 1 might be Week 7 against the Eagles, but it also wouldn’t be stunning if McCarthy needed more time to heal. If Carson Wentz is the QB again, he’ll have a chance to beat his old team while it’s down, coming off two straight losses. The Week 6 bye came at a good time for the Vikings, who also should be getting RT Brian O’Neill, LB Blake Cashman and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel back over the coming weeks; the arrow is pointing upward. But as of right now, it’s hard to know where this team is, given the topsy-turvy start and the rash of injuries.
No. 17 (down 1 spot): Maurice Moton, Bleacher Report
The Minnesota Vikings limped into their Week 6 bye with a banged-up offense. Running back Aaron Jones, Sr., is on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury. Starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy is recovering from a high ankle sprain, and his backup, Carson Wentz, played through a left shoulder injury behind an offensive line that featured three reserves [and eventually a fourth] filling in for starters.
While a healthier offense should help the Vikings come out strong from an off week, McCarthy must show improvement upon his return to action. In two games this season, he threw for just 301 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions with a 58.5 percent completion rate. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, McCarthy’s status for Week 7 is uncertain.