Vikings vs. Buccaneers Week 3 Tracker: Injury updates, predictions, storylines and more

It might feel like the 2026 season just started, but the Minnesota Vikings are already heading into the third matchup on their schedule, and for Week 3, they will be taking on the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns, while the Vikings found a way to sneak out of Soldier Field with a six-point win over the Chicago Bears in Week 2 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Leading up to Sunday's NFC battle in Tampa, we'll have all the latest updates regarding injuries for both teams, predictions from a number of experts, what storylines to watch out for in the game, and plenty more right here.

So bookmark this page and check back throughout the next several days for everything you need to know about Sunday's contest between the Vikings and Bucs.

1. Minnesota Vikings Inactives for Week 3
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Inactives for Week 3
3. How to Watch Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3
4. Minnesota Vikings Injury Report for Week 3
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Injury Report for Week 3
6. Weather Forecast for Vikings at Buccaneers in Week 3
7. Biggest Minnesota Vikings Storylines heading into Week 3
8. Predictions for Vikings at Buccaneers in Week 3

Last Updated: Saturday, September 27 at 1:45 p.m. CST

Minnesota Vikings Inactives for Week 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Inactives for Week 3

How to Watch Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3

• Date: Sunday, October 4
• Time: 3:05 p.m. CST
• Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
• TV Network: FOX
• Announcers: Kenny Albert (Play-by-Play), Jonathan Vilma (Color Analyst), Megan Olivi (Sideline)

Minnesota Vikings Injury Report for Week 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Injury Report for Week 3

Weather Forecast for Vikings at Buccaneers in Week 3

Current Forecast (via NFLWeather.com)

• Temperature: 84 degrees
• Wind Speed: 5 mph
• Precipitation: Scattered thunderstorms

Biggest Minnesota Vikings Storylines heading into Week 3

How will Kyler Murray look?

After sustaining a concussion in Week 1, Kyler Murray was inactive for Minnesota's game against Chicago in Week 2, but Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Monday that the veteran quarterback has cleared the league's concussion protocol and he will be back in the starting lineup for Week 3.

Murray wasn't on the field for very long against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, but when he was, there weren't a lot of good things that happened.

His very first pass landed in the hands of a Packers player, and then a few plays later, he had to exit the matchup with a concussion.

Hopefully, Murray is able to play the entire game this week, and his performance will be much better than how things went in his debut in purple and gold.

Will Aaron Jones be healthy enough to start at RB?

Minnesota had to place Jordan Mason on injured reserve after Week 1, so Aaron Jones got the majority of the carries in the win over the Bears.

Jones isn't really built to get more than 20-plus carries per game, so it wasn't surprising when O'Connell revealed on Monday that the veteran running back was "pretty sore" after the victory in Chicago.

The Vikings might've revealed just how sore Jones truly is when they signed free-agent running back Jaret Patterson to the team's practice squad on Tuesday.

With Tuesday's signing, Minnesota's group of running backs on both the active roster and practice squad now consists of Jones, Patterson, rookie Demond Claiborne, and DeeJay Dallas.

If Jones is still feeling the effects of his workload against the Bears by the time the Vikings hit the field in Tampa on Sunday, Minnesota might need to turn to Claiborne and Dallas for most of their production out of their offensive backfield.

Who will Dallas Turner terrorize next?

Through the first two games of the 2026 campaign, Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner is performing like someone who is already a serious contender to win this season's NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

So far this season, Turner has already accumulated 20 pressures (which leads the league), three sacks, five tackles, and one forced fumble. Neither of Minnesota's first two opponents this year had an answer for him, and there's a good chance that Tampa Bay won't have one either.

The Bucs have a much better offensive line than the Packers and Bears, but Tampa has still given up 23 pressures so far this season, so that's something Turner and the rest of the Vikings' defense should be able to take care of.

Can the Vikings avoid underestimating the winless Bucs?

With Minnesota unbeaten and the Bucs still searching for their first win of the year, most people probably assume Sunday's game should be an easy win for the Vikings. But situations like this are when Minnesota can sometimes get themselves into a bit of trouble by not taking their opponent serious enough.

During the O'Connell era, there have been multiple instances in which the Vikings have fallen flat on their faces in the week after an emotional win.

If Minnesota wants to improve to 3-0 on the season, then they can't take Tampa lightly on Sunday, as the Bucs will also be desperate for a victory to avoid falling to 0-3.

Predictions for Vikings at Buccaneers in Week 3

NFL Media Experts

• Bucky Brookis - Vikings
• Brooke Cersosimo - Vikings
• Lance Zierlein - Vikings
• Tom Grossi - Vikings
• Nick Shook - Vikings

• Grant Gordon - Bucs
• Colleen Wolfe - Bucs
• Brooke Cersosimo - Bucs
• Dan Parr - Bucs
• Kevin Patra - Bucs
  
• Brandon Perna - TIE

ESPN Experts

• Matt Bowen - Vikings
• Jeremy Fowler - Vikings
• Pamela Maldonado - Vikings
• Kalyn Kahler - Vikings
• Ben Solak - Vikings
• Eric Moody - Vikings
• Lindsey Thiry - Vikings

• Mike Clay - Bucs
• Dan Graziano - Bucs
• Jason Reid - Bucs
• Seth Wickersham - Bucs

CBS Sports

• Bryant McFadden - Vikings
• Pete Prisco - Bucs

More predictions will be added as they are shared throughout the week leading up to the game.

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