Ty

Chandler

Blake Cashman (hamstring) joins him in missing at least the next four weeks. Zavier Scott will elevate to the team’s No. 3 back in Chandler’s absence. Cam Akers is undoubtedly leaving calls on Kevin O’Connell’s phone.

O’Connell said S Harrison Smith (illness) will join Darrisaw in the ramp-up process. Smith has been dealing with some sort of health issue since late August and should not be considered a lock to suit up in Week 2. Darrisaw continues to rehab his ACL and MCL injuries from last year. Vikings LB Blake Cashman and RB Ty Chandler “will miss some time” after suffering injuries in Week 1. Both LB Andrew Van Ginkel and CB Jeff Okudah are in the concussion protocol.

It’s been a theme of training camp that the Vikings simply don’t believe in Chandler’s ability to pass protect despite his explosiveness with the ball in his hands. Lewis thinks the team will instead roster Zavier Scott behind the combination of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason at running back.

Aaron Jones’ hamstring was supposedly an issue heading into Week 7, but he’s now out-touched backup Chandler 38-2 over the past five days. Unideal. We doubt Jones will maintain quite that level of touch dominance, but any dreams fantasy managers had of Chandler becoming more than a strict contingency back have been dashed. He can be released to the waiver wire ahead of Week 9 against the Colts.

Aaron Jones looked better than ever in Week 7 despite being listed as questionable. He ran for 93 yards and a score while dominating the backfield work with 14 rush attempts. Chandler wasn’t targeted and his most impactful play was a holding penalty he committed that nixed a 30-yard reception by tight end Johnny Mundt. Chandler can still be rostered as an insurance option for Jones, but the Vikings don’t seem awfully interested in using him when the latter is healthy. He will rank as an RB5 for Minnesota’s Week 8 game against the Rams.

Jones went down with the hip injury in Week 5 and did not return. He got an extra week of rest with the Vikings on bye last week, but he may still be forced to miss their upcoming game versus the Lions. Minnesota’s trade for Cam Akers also points toward Jones missing at least a week. Ty Chandler would see the bulk of the Vikings’ touches if Jones is ruled out, putting him on RB2 notice pending Jones’s status.

O’Connell did note that it “looks like we’ve avoided a long-term injury.” Minnesota is on bye in Week 6, but Ty Chandler could be in line for a starter’s load in Week 7 against the Lions. Jones left early in Week 5 with the hip injury and did not return. Chandler would be on the RB2/FLEX line in Week 7 if he drew the start.

Rapoport reports the Vikings don’t believe this to be a severe injury to Jones and that with the team now heading into their bye week, he may miss little to no time with the injury. The MRI will confirm the exact severity of the injury, so everything is wait-and-see at this point. If Jones would be unavailable for Week 7’s game against the Lions, Ty Chandler, who led the team with 14 carries, would serve as the lead back.

He added two catches for nine yards, and had a 32-yard run called back for an illegal shift at the line of scrimmage. C.J. Ham vultured a goal-line score. This wasn’t exactly the line you were hoping for as Aaron Jones left. Chandler has a chance to come back in Week 7 as the lead back if Jones’ hip injury is serious, so he’s probably a hold even during the Week 6 bye.

Chandler got out-touched 26-4 by Aaron Jones even with the Vikings racing out to a 28-0 lead. The Vikes were obviously trying to get Jones a little something extra in a “revenge game,” but Chandler now has just 11 total touches over the past two weeks after he reached that mark in each of his first two games. He’s a contingency-only option headed into Week 5 against the Jets.