Inside The Vikings

Vikings Injury Updates: Justin Jefferson, Brian O'Neill, Alexander Mattison, Jalen Nailor

Jefferson appears to be doing OK after a potentially scary hit.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings Injury Updates: Justin Jefferson, Brian O'Neill, Alexander Mattison, Jalen Nailor
Vikings Injury Updates: Justin Jefferson, Brian O'Neill, Alexander Mattison, Jalen Nailor

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Minnesota Vikings

Great news: Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson appears to be doing OK after being involved in a scary collision during Sunday's game against the Raiders. 

Jefferson, who was playing his first game since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5, leapt to make a catch in the second quarter and was popped by Las Vegas safety Marcus Epps. The reigning NFL offensive player of the year was shaken up and went into the medical tent, then back to the locker room. Diagnosed with a chest injury, he was taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary reasons. Fortunately, the doctors didn't find anything significant when they took X-rays.

"Justin Jefferson sustained kind of an internal chest injury there," head coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game. "We wanted to rule out any potential complications from that, so he did go to a local hospital and get evaluated. He has since returned and he will travel home with us, so (we) feel pretty encouraged about the early news on Justin. We'll have to see, on a short week, how he's able to turn over from this."

It's never good when you hear that a player is being taken to the hospital for evaluation, but it sounds like the news is all positive with Jefferson. The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling has reported that there's "early optimism" about his chances of playing this upcoming Saturday against the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Here are some other injury updates from O'Connell postgame:

  • RT Brian O'Neill suffered a left ankle sprain
  • RB Alexander Mattison suffered a right ankle sprain
  • WR Jalen Nailor is in concussion protocol

O'Connell didn't mention LG Dalton Risner, who also appeared to injure his ankle but was able to return to the game. WR Brandon Powell also briefly left the game. RG Ed Ingram was inactive on Sunday due to a hip injury.

The Vikings' first injury report of this upcoming week will be released on Tuesday due to the Saturday kickoff in Cincy.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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