Jefferson returns for Vikings; Addison and Beckham are inactive

Sunday, October 11 update, 12:07 p.m. Eastern

Justin Jefferson is officially active for Minnesota's Week 5 game at New Orleans. Jordan Addison and Odell Beckham Jr. are inactive, the Vikings' Sunday report confirms. Jefferson's ankle injury and Addison's hamstring injury had left both questionable Friday; the game-day decisions now settle their availability. CBS Sports independently confirms the active and inactive designations.

Minnesota activated center Michael Jurgens and tight end Ben Yurosek from injured reserve Saturday and elevated Beckham and Jeshaun Jones from the practice squad. Beckham's Sunday inactive designation supersedes any assumption that his elevation assured an appearance. Christian Darrisaw remains inactive in concussion protocol.

Watch Minnesota's official Saturday Saints trailer on YouTube. The team restricts external embedding of this video. The previous reports below retain their original dates and describe earlier stages of the injury evaluation.

Friday, October 9 update

The Vikings ruled out Christian Darrisaw for Sunday's game at New Orleans and listed Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Brian O'Neill as questionable. Friday's final injury report leaves Minnesota with uncertainty at receiver and right tackle while confirming its left tackle will miss the game.

Jefferson remained limited throughout the practice week with an ankle injury. Addison missed Wednesday with a hamstring injury, then returned on a limited basis Thursday and Friday. Their Sunday availability remains undecided.

Darrisaw did not practice all week while in concussion protocol. O'Neill was limited in all three sessions with a knee injury.

Minnesota also ruled out cornerback Chuck Demmings with a hamstring injury. Center Michael Jurgens and tight end Ben Yurosek are questionable despite full practice participation. Both are in the 21-day evaluation period after being designated to return from injured reserve Wednesday, so practice participation and a return to the active roster remain separate steps.

Punter Brett Thorson completed a full practice week and has no game designation. The Vikings expect him to return after missing the past two games.

The Saints have their own unresolved offensive availability decision: Alvin Kamara is questionable with a back injury. New Orleans ruled out linebackers Kaden Elliss and Anfernee Jennings, along with guard Jeremiah Wright, on its Friday report.

Minnesota visits New Orleans on Sunday, October 11, at 1 p.m. Eastern. The final report settles Darrisaw's absence; the weekend decisions on Jefferson, Addison and O'Neill will determine how many of the remaining offensive starters can take the field.

Friday reporting: Vikings final Week5 injury report, NBC: Jefferson and Addison questionable for Saints, Vikings post finalFriday injury report, Saints finalFriday injury report.

Earlier reporting

The following section preserves the previously published report. Its injury statuses and roster decisions describe the dates cited below.

Justin Jefferson returned to limited practice Wednesday, October 7, and said he hoped to play at New Orleans on Sunday. The Vikings' first Week 5 report lists the receiver with an ankle injury. His return gives Minnesota a new recovery checkpoint after he missed the Miami game; the club will issue game designations Friday.

Kevin Seifert reported Jefferson's comments independently for ESPN. The receiver described playing as his plan while leaving the decision open as the week progresses. His public optimism and Wednesday's limited work give RSO managers reason to reconsider the replacement arrangements they used last weekend, with clearance still unsettled.

In his official Wednesday interview, Jefferson said getting back onto the practice field felt good and that he wanted to play in his home state of Louisiana. He described continuing to work on the ankle's soreness and swelling after the injury. Minnesota has one more game before its bye, a schedule Jefferson also acknowledged when discussing the team's interrupted time together on offense.

Those comments describe how the player feels. The participation report records how much work he did. A final game designation will address his availability for Sunday. For managers who must make an earlier decision, those checkpoints carry different information: a limited return makes him a player to follow through the remaining practices, while a reserve receiver remains useful until his status is resolved.

Minnesota's passing group has another availability issue. Jordan Addison did not practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury. Kevin O'Connell said Addison was dealing with soreness after getting tugged on a late T.J. Hockenson catch and hoped he could resume limited work later in the week. The Wednesday report leaves both receivers' game availability unfinished, so it supplies no confirmed replacement target allocation.

The offensive line also has two players on the report: Christian Darrisaw missed practice with a concussion, and Brian O'Neill was limited with a knee injury. Aaron Jones was limited for rest. That distinction keeps a scheduled rest entry separate from an injury when assessing Minnesota's available offensive personnel.

The Vikings visit the Saints at noon Central on Sunday, October 11. Thursday's participation report and Friday's designations are the next official steps for Jefferson. His earlier out ruling applied to Miami in Week 4; it should not be carried forward as a Week 5 ruling. RSO owners can retain a substitute while following the receiver's return, then use the remaining team reports to make the Sunday lineup decision.

Earlier Week 4 reporting (superseded by the October 2 Miami designation)

O'Connell said Jefferson was feeling a little better as the week progressed, while declining to say what that meant for the weekend. The coach said the team would wait until Jefferson could perform like himself before bringing him back. The Vikings are scheduled to practice Thursday and Friday, with game-status designations due Friday.

The ankle sprain occurred on Jefferson's seventh snap against Tampa Bay, according to the team's current report. His earlier out designation applied to the remainder of that game. Wednesday's non-participation supplies the next recovery checkpoint, without establishing an extended absence or a Week 4 ruling.

Minnesota also listed cornerback Charles Demmings with a hamstring injury and punter Brett Thorson with a right hamstring injury as non-participants Wednesday. Linebacker Blake Cashman was limited with an elbow injury. Running back Aaron Jones received a rest day, which should not be described as a newly reported injury.

For RSO managers holding Jefferson, the relevant decision remains whether he can return to an active lineup Sunday. Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and the other passing options remain worth monitoring, but the Vikings have not announced a new receiver hierarchy or an expected target distribution. Keep a substitute available and use the remaining official reports to assess Jefferson's status.

Sources

Earlier reporting: ESPN Vikings–Buccaneers game summary · Earlier reporting: Associated Press game injury dispatch · Earlier reporting: Vikings Wire on Jefferson’s initial designation · Earlier reporting: Vikings Wednesday Week 4 injury report · Earlier reporting: Kevin O'Connell gives Jefferson injury update · Earlier reporting: Myles Simmons: Jefferson ruled out · Vikings: current Week 5 injury report · Earlier reporting: Kevin Seifert: Jefferson’s plan remains day by day