Jordan Addison's three-game suspension to kick off the 2025 NFL season puts the Minnesota Vikings in a tough situation. Although they should have star pass-catcher Justin Jefferson available for those games, the depth behind him is questionable.
The Vikings added some talent at wide receiver this offseason. They traded for Adam Thielen from the Carolina Panthers, went after Rondale Moore in free agency, and used a third-round pick on Maryland's Tai Felton at the 2025 NFL Draft.
A season-ending injury to Moore during the preseason puts Minnesota back in a tough situation. They will need each receiver to step up in his absence until Addison comes back in Week 4 against the Steelers in Ireland.
The Minnesota Vikings are optimistic that wide receiver Jalen Nailor will be available for the season opener against the Chicago Bears.
One question surrounding the wide receiver group of the Minnesota Vikings is the health of Jalen Nailor. An injured hand sidelined the 26-year-old receiver leading up to the season, but a recent update gives fans hope that he will be available when the regular season kicks off for the purple and gold.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on X, the Vikings are feeling good about Nailor's chances of being ready for action this season unless there is some kind of setback in the recovery from his hand injury.
The #Vikings are optimistic about wide receiver Jalen Nailor (hand) playing Week 1 vs. Chicago barring a setback, per sources. Minnesota envisions a key role for Nailor, especially with Jordan Addison out via suspension.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 31, 2025
Nailor hasn't been a consistent threat for Minnesota since being a sixth-round pick of the team in 2022, but he has been a contributor who has shown flashes of brilliance, especially during the 2024 season.
Last year, Nailor registered career-highs in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns while playing in all 17 games for the Vikings. Hopefully, he can continue to progress and develop under head coach and 2024 Coach of the Year Kevin O'Connell.
Not only that, but having as many explosive targets as possible for first-year starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy could be big for the offense. McCarthy sat out all of last season with a knee injury but is set to be behind center during the 2025 NFL season.
Hopefully, there won't be any setbacks when it comes to Jalen Nailor's recovery from his hand injury. If he can be available for the Minnesota Vikings while Jordan Addison serves his suspension, it could take a lot of pressure off the current group of wide receivers and be an asset and weapon for the offense this season.