Who will and won’t be available for the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions in their big Week 7 matchup? Here is a breakdown of the injury report!
The NFC North is a tough place to be. No team in the division has a losing record and the Minnesota Vikings have yet to get a win against one of the three other teams that make up the division. That can change on Sunday when the Vikings head to Detroit to play the Lions.
Detroit has been competitive against all the best teams in the league. Both their losses have been by a slim margin and both have come at the hands of teams mentioned as Super Bowl favorites. With some more victories, it is possible Minnesota can join the ranks of those elite teams.
Of course, having a healthy roster is important and there is good news to take away from the Week 7 injury report and Minnesota has only designated one player for the game. Here is the official injury report as shared on the team’s official website:
Minnesota Vikings
RULED OUT
- Ben Gedeon, linebacker – concussion
DOUBTFUL
- – none –
QUESTIONABLE
- Kentrell Brothers, linebacker – hamstring
Getting Brothers back will be a great benefit to the special teams unit of the Vikings. He is still a bit further down on the depth chart on defense, meaning Eric Wilson will likely see action as the team’s third linebacker when facing off against the Detroit offense.
The best news is that Josh Kline received no designation this week, meaning he will be returning to right guard where he has been impressive. For an offensive lineman, foot injuries can be tricky, so hopefully he can play at a high level against a tough Lions defense.
Detroit Lions
RULED OUT
- Mike Daniels, defensive tackle – foot
- Amani Oruwariye, cornerback – knee
DOUBTFUL
- – none –
QUESTIONABLE
- Nick Bawden, fullback – back
- Quandre Diggs, cornerback – hamstring
- Da’Shawn Hand, defensive line – elbow
- Darius Slay, cornerback – hamstring
- Rick Wagner, offensive tackle – knee
Knowing that Danielle Hunter will be going up against Wagner when he isn’t 100 percent (or his backup) has to have Vikings fans excited. The defensive end is having a great season pressuring quarterbacks and getting to Matt Stafford is a major key to success.
Defensively, Detroit will be pretty close to full strength. While there are players who are suffering from the weekly grind of the NFL, the Lions are a scary team with a lot of talent. The level of injury to Diggs and Slay is key here because they will be tasked with containing the Minnesota pass catchers.
With a win in Week 7, the Minnesota Vikings can move to 5-2 on the season and position themselves well for the postseason. However, the Detroit Lions are no joke and will be a tough team to beat on their home turf.