Minnesota

Vikings

Turner was a late addition on the Vikings’ Wednesday injury report after having a limited showing the the team’s evening walkthrough. Turner looks to be dealing with a knee issue and his practice status later in the week will show how serious this new issue is and if Turner can play in Week 16.

Hockenson is Minnesota’s man-beater, and the Bears rarely bothered getting out of zone coverage tonight so he didn’t have much to work with. He did break up a near-interception by playing defensive back on a ball over the middle from Sam Darnold that was bearing in on Kevin Byard’s hands. He also converted a third-and-15 with a 16-yard catch and added a five-yard DPI. He’ll remain a functional low-end TE1 in Week 16 against the Seahawks.

He added a 30-yard defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone that set up a Cam Akers score. Addison had scored six touchdowns in his last six games, but we’d argue nine targets is still a very strong signal for his rest-of-season involvement even if he didn’t quite land the knockout blow in this one. Addison will remain on the WR2 line against the Seahawks in Week 16.

His touchdown came as he ran a crosser in the back of the end zone and blew by a trail defender, it was one of the most open looks he’s had all season. Unfortunately Jefferson dropped another ball near the five-yard line that looked like it had scoring potential when he tried to turn and run with the ball before it got there. Jefferson took another Sam Darnold pass 17 yards to the one before Aaron Jones vultured the score. Jefferson will remain a high-end WR1 in Week 16, even with a draw against a stingy Seahawks pass defense.

Akers had just three carries before things got out of hand, then salted away the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown to take the score to 27-6 and was given additional closeout work. His role feels as strong as you can get on a non-committee team, but it doesn’t amount to much more in fantasy than touchdown-or-bust. He finished with 21 snaps to Aaron Jones’ 47.

That makes touchdowns in three of four games for Jones. The Vikings had some trouble establishing it in the first half as they struggled with penalties and Jones had a pair of negative-one yard carries on a tough 15-play drive that ended with a pick. But they finally cracked Chicago’s defense late in the third quarter as Jones took seven carries on a 12-play drive that he capped with a score. Jones ceded some late playing time to Cam Akers, but that was about the game situation. He’ll be in the RB2 ranks for Week 16’s game against the Seahawks.

The interception was forgivable as it happened on a fourth-down go and actually gained the Vikings some field position. Darnold threaded a good throw here or there, and the Vikings converted a lot of early third-and-longs on a deep-zone heavy Bears defense. For the most part, it was actually Chicago’s pass rush subduing him as Darnold took two sacks while right tackle Brian O’Neill spent the game shuttling back-and-forth between the locker room with an apparent knee injury. Justin Jefferson cost him (and Jefferson) a second likely touchdown with a drop near the five-yard-line in the second quarter. Darnold didn’t exactly light the world on fire, but he at least managed to mostly keep the Vikings out of harm’s way in a game where they were only up 13-0 until the end of the third quarter. A game against a surging Seahawks defense, but one that possibly will be trying to back an extremely rough-looking Sam Howell, will confusingly keep Darnold near the QB1 line for Week 16.

Gilmore is the only shocker after being listed as questionable following a ramp up in activity during practice this week. The Vikings continue to battle for a potential top seed out of the NFC, with a win drawing them into a three-way tie at 12-2 with only three games remaining in the regular season.

Gilmore was listed as questionable heading into the game, but it sounds like the veteran corner will miss his second consecutive game with the hamstring injury that forced him from Week 13’s game against the Cardinals. With Gilmore out, the Vikings will likely start Fabian Moreau, who is listed as the next man up on the team’s depth chart.

According to Seifert, sources have told the team is “more open-minded about their 2025 plans than many realize” in regards to Darnold and the possibility of bringing him back. Darnold has experience a career resurgence with the Vikings, throwing for 3299-28-10 on the season while inserting himself in the MVP conversation. Darnold won’t win the MVP, but he has already set himself for a handsome pay day next offseason. The Vikings have rookie J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings, which has led many to believe Darnold would be allowed to walk next offseason, but that may not entirely be the case. With three weeks left in the regular season and the playoffs ahead of them, the Vikings still have plenty of time left to assess their future with/without Darnold. Regardless of where he lands, it will be an interesting offseason for the former No. 3 overall pick.