Is J.J. McCarthy Playing Today? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Packers vs. Vikings)

The latest injury update for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy in Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. / Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the lineup in Week 18 of the 2025 season despite dealing with a hairline fracture in his hand.

The former first-round pick was injured in Week 16 against the New York Giants, and he missed the team's Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day. Howeber, McCarthy appears to have recovered eniough to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, as he's not listed on the team's final injury report.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell has announced that J.J. McCarthy will be the starting QB this Sunday for #GBvsMIN pic.twitter.com/lLhiKejUN1

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 2, 2026

Injuries have limited McCarthy so far in his NFL career, as he missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury and has appeared in just nine games in the 2025 campaign.

The Vikings, who are 8-8 this season, have gone 5-4 when McCarthy is in the lineup, and they're heavily favored to pick up a win in Week 18. After opening as 6.5-point home favorites in this matchup, the Vikings have moved to 10.5-point favorites at DraftKings with a chance to finish over .500 in the regular season.

A big reason for the line movement in this game is the fact that the Packers, who are locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC, are sitting several key players, including starting quarterback Jordan Love. Third-string quarterback Clayton Tune will get the start in this matchup instead, and he's yet to throw for 100 yards at the NFL level.

With McCarthy set to start, the Vikings are viewed as the clear favorite in this game as they look to finish the regular season on a five-game winning streak.

The 2025 campaign has been an up and down one for McCarthy, and a strong showing in Week 18 could give the Vikings a much better feeling about him heading into next season. The University of Michigan product has completed just 57.3 percent of his passes this season for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He'll look to lead the Vikings to a sixth win in 10 starts this season on Sunday.

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