Minnesota Vikings DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) is officially active on Sunday for a big divisional showdown against the visiting Detroit Lions in Week 7. Jones was injured in Week 5 in London against the New York Jets but had the Week 6 bye to heal up and will now return to action this weekend despite being listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. Fantasy managers can leave the 29-year-old in their starting lineups against Detroit, but Jones could lose some touches to both Ty Chandler and Cam Akers. As a result, Jones should be considered a bit more volatile as an RB2 coming out of the bye week. Jones has just two total touchdowns in five games in his first year in Minnesota, with his last rushing score coming back in Week 1. It's not a great matchup, either, with the Lions allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing RBs in 2024.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) is expected to play against the Detroit Lions in Week 7 despite being listed as questionable, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Jones picked up the injury during Week 5 in London, but a conveniently placed bye last week allowed the veteran running back to recover for Sunday's game against Detroit without missing any time. He has been quite productive through five games this season, tallying 350 rushing yards, 167 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns. He typically ranks as a low-end fantasy RB1, but the Lions' strong run defense could drop him to the RB2 tier.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) won't play in Sunday's NFC North clash against the Detroit Lions. The 27-year-old recently returned to practice. While he's moving in the right direction regarding his return to the field, fantasy managers will need to wait a little longer. There's a chance Hockenson will be back in the lineup for the Week 8 clash with the Los Angeles Rams. However, it's more realistic to assume he'll make his 2024-25 debut for the Week 9 matchup versus the Indianapolis Colts. Of course, anything can change moving forward, so fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation. In the meantime, it will be Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver splitting starting duties, although neither man can be considered a viable fantasy option.

Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard remains a solid streaming option in Week 7, facing the Detroit Lions. The 23-year-old has remained perfect throughout the season, going 9-for-9 on attempts and 16-for-16 on extra-point attempts. During the first five games, Reichard has averaged 8.6 PPR points per game and made at least two field goal attempts in three games. The Alabama product has also made three attempts from over 50 yards. Facing the Detroit Lions in what is projected to be a high-scoring affair, given the projected 50.5 point total makes Reichard a safe option with solid upside on Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers could be pushed up the depth chart on Sunday if Aaron Jones (hamstring) cannot suit up. Jones is currently listed as questionable and could be a game-time decision. The Vikings traded for Akers from Houston earlier this week, which could suggest that Jones may not be able to play. In Houston, Akers saw work as the lead running back when Joe Mixon (ankle) was sidelined and tallied a modest 9.3 PPR points per game during a three-game stretch. While Ty Chandler will likely see most attempts in Jones' absence, Akers could carve out a solid workload and be a viable desperation flex option in 14+ team formats.