3 key Packers expected to be out vs. Vikings on Sunday

The Green Bay Packers are expected to be without Allen Lazard, David Bakhtiari, and Elgton Jenkins against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

When they take on the Minnesota Vikings inside U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers are expected to be without three key starters.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, wide receiver Allen Lazard, left tackle David Bakhtiari, and right tackle Elgton Jenkins are all expected to be out of action on Sunday against the Vikings. All three were projected to begin the season as starters for Green Bay, so this news is definitely significant.

The Packers will obviously still have guys like Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, and Jaire Alexander on the field this weekend, but the absence of three offensive starters is certainly going to make defeating Minnesota in Week 1 much more difficult for them.

Will any Minnesota Vikings players be out vs. the Green Bay Packers in Week 1?

When it comes to the Vikings on Sunday, their roster isn’t expected to be as affected by injuries as Green Bay’s.

Minnesota defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard and rookie safety Lewis Cine are currently the only two players that could miss this weekend’s contest due to injury as both are listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report.

The Vikings might have already given away their decision to play Cine or not on Sunday as they elevated safety Myles Dorn from the practice squad to the active roster on Saturday. Minnesota probably wouldn’t make a move like this if they were confident in their rookie safety taking the field against the Packers this week.

But other than Bullard and Cine, the Vikings are going to be very healthy in their regular-season opener against their bitter rival on Sunday. And even if both are sidelined, their absences won’t have as significant of an impact on Minnesota as Lazard, Bakhtiari, and Jenkins being out will have on Green Bay.