Aaron Jones is nearing his long-awaited return, but something still feels off beneath the surface. The Vikings have opened their practice window, giving fantasy football players hope — and a fresh dose of anxiety. His status for Thursday’s matchup remains unclear, and coaches aren’t saying much. Whatever’s keeping him limited has fans watching closely and guessing even closer.
Aaron Jones Sr. Injury Update
Jones’ time on the injured reserve is ending. The Vikings have opened their 21-day practice window, and there is a chance that the veteran running back could return as soon as Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
READ MORE: Soppe’s Week 8 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Analysis for Every Player in Every Game
Jones will return to a timeshare with Jordan Mason in the backfield once he is fully activated from the injured reserve.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Dan Fornek
Jones Fantasy Outlook
Jones was eligible to be activated from IR last weekend, but the hamstring continues to plague the veteran, and the specifics of his return remain unclear. His return window opened on Tuesday afternoon, though that doesn’t include an exact plan.
On one hand, Jordan Mason hasn’t exactly stolen this role the way I thought he might (last three games: 3.77 yards per carry), and he failed to earn a single one of Carson Wentz’s 40 targeted passes in the loss to the Eagles.
On the other hand, we are 11 months clear of the last time Jones had a 20-yard run.
READ MORE: Aaron Jones Injury Update: What’s the Latest on the Vikings RB, and Will He Play in Week 8?
The moving piece here is the quarterback position. We think this team will lean toward J.J. McCarthy when given the green light, but who he is more comfortable with is unknown. Jones profiles as the pass catcher, and that holds value, though with an unproven quarterback, it’s hard to label that skill set as one that will elevate his floor every week.
For me, Jones is the type of running back that I’m happy to wait on. I’m not 100% sure Jones is a fantasy starter as it is, so I’m really not going this direction if his health is a question mark. If he proves he’s healthy and produces on my bench, I’ll live with it.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Kyle Soppe
