What Vikings' New RB Arrivals Could Mean for Demond Claiborne's Outlook in Week 4 and Beyond

Minnesota continues to show little faith in the first-year running back.

Sports Illustrated's Jason Harmon breaks down what the new arrival in the Vikings' backfield could mean for rookie RB Demond Claiborne moving forward. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

An NFL fanbase rarely shows real interest in a sixth-round pick, but the Vikings' selection of Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne at pick 199 caught fans’ attention this past April.

The running back room had desperately lacked a true breakaway speed threat since Dalvin Cook's departure in the spring of 2023. While Claiborne certainly had the odds stacked against him as a late-round rookie, his potential explosiveness could add an exciting new layer to the Vikings' offense.

Fast forward to Week 4 of his rookie season, and it seems the team has zero desire to put the ball in his hands.

Claiborne was listed as inactive in Week 1’s matchup against the Packers; instead, the Vikings promoted recent practice squad signing DeeJay Dallas up for RB3 duties. A few days later, Jordan Mason was placed on injured reserve with a thumb injury, creating a need for additional RB depth and an opportunity for Claiborne to step up. The rookie RB saw limited action in Week 2, with zero carries and only one reception for two yards. In Week 3, he saw his first three NFL carries for a whopping one yard.

Since then, additions have been made, as the Vikings signed veteran RBs Devin Neal and Audric Estime on Wednesday, coming a few days after RBs Jerome Ford and Jaret Patterson were released.

The #Vikings have signed the following players to the practice squad

- P Johnny Hekker
- RB Audric Estime
- RB Devin Neal
- OLB Keshawn Banks
- G Josh Priebe

📰: https://t.co/0wz2nJ1Nj3 pic.twitter.com/Q785DDMTS4

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 30, 2026

So what about Claiborne’s game has the Vikings so desperate to find RB help? And what could it mean for his future?

Vikings are burning through RB options—what it means for Demond Claiborne

The results have been less than ideal, even for a late-round pick, and it's clear the Vikings are attempting to find any additional talent they can for the room. In the last month, the Vikings have signed five different backs to their practice squad in an attempt to find additional depth (H/t: Heavy Sports’ Brevan Bane).

Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke after Wednesday's practice, emphasizing the various ways Claiborne can make an impact (h/t: Vikings).

"Impact on our team? I would love to see (Demond) get more work out of the backfield, and I think we will," O'Connell said. "But he's already helping us in multiple ways."

"He's already helping us in multiple ways." - Coach Kevin O'Connell on Demond Claiborne pic.twitter.com/QtYE1FiqEa

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 30, 2026

Although O'Connell's praise is nice to hear, but Vikings' roster moves and the young back's tape suggest he may not be ready for more carries yet.

A long way to go

Claiborne had an intriguing camp that showed exactly why the Vikings took a swing at him, while also making it clear why he fell to late day-three of the draft. He had multiple breakaway runs that showcased the speed fans hoped to see. He also struggled severely with ball security, pass blocking and catching.

 Claiborne's preseason appearances did nothing to make him stand out, either, as he never averaged more than 2.8 yards per carry. Still, his flashes in camp were enough to earn him a spot on the 53-man roster, as locker room favorite and previous RB3 Zavier Scott would be the odd man out.

In limited action so far, Claiborne's regular-season film shows exactly how far the physically gifted back needs to grow mentally. He missed a massive gap in Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers that could have led to a massive gain with his burning speed (H/t: Chat Sports’ Patrick Siepman).

Demond Claiborne struggled in the preseason and missed this massive hole yesterday.

Should the Vikings try and trade for a RB? pic.twitter.com/mzurfKCTd2

— Patrick Siepman (@PatSieps) September 28, 2026

If Claiborne wants more opportunities, he’ll need to show the Vikings he can protect the football and has the vision to use his breakaway speed by properly identifying gaps. That all starts against the Dolphins in Week 4.

If not, the Vikings will continue to audition the next RB they can find until a trustworthy option emerges.

Get Vikings On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.