Starting defender could be out for Vikings opponent in Week 1

Week 1 of the NFL season is almost underway. Although the league kicks off on Thursday with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Baltimore Ravens, the Minnesota Vikings will travel to New Jersey to take on the New York Giants in a matchup scheduled for Sunday.

The Vikings and the Giants would both love to start the season with a win, but one of those teams will likely leave MetLife Stadium with a 0-1 record and a challenging schedule ahead of them in the 2024 NFL season.

Starting defender could be out for Vikings opponent in Week 1

The Minnesota Vikings released an early injury report for Sunday's game and there is a notable name included among the statuses for the players who are a bit banged up for the Giants in their season opener.

Listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, starting linebacker Micah McFadden is dealing with a groin injury that could linger into the start of the 2024 NFL season. Entering his third year in the league, the former fifth-round draft pick of the Giants started 14 games for New York in 2023.

Last season, McFadden racked up 101 combined tackles to go with five pass defenses, four fumble recoveries, a sack, and an interception, The former Indiana standout played 737 defensive snaps and 172 special teams snaps, meaning he was in on 909 total plays for New York last season.

If McFadden is unable to suit up for the Giants in Week 1, his absence would be a major loss for Big Blue. The six-foot-two, 232-pound defender might not grab headlines in the Big Apple, but he is an important part of the team whose contributions would be noticed against the Vikings.

Minnesota's offense is already a little questionable. Many fans and experts are hesitant to buy-in on new quarterback Sam Darnold and running back Aaron Jones will be making his Vikings debut in the season opener. T.J. Hockenson is on the PUP list and the interior of the offensive line is still questionable.

All that said, this new Minnesota Vikings offense will face their first test in Week 1. The New York Giants will be a bit scarier if they have Micah McFadden available even though the G-Men have a powerful pass rush that can potentially disrupt the purple and gold in the season opener.

More Vikings news and analysis