Aaron Jones’ injury news keeps the Minnesota Vikings guessing who will be playing in Week 8’s Thursday Night Football. Limited practice leaves status unknown.
Primary running back Jones was placed on injury reserve with a hamstring injury after a Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Because of the NFL injury reserve rule, players who are injured must miss a minimum of four games. Since the Vikings had their bye week in Week 6, the earliest Jones can return is Week 8.
How Does the Vikings RB Depth Chart Look for Week 8?
With Week 8 here, the big question circling is whether Jones will be back on the field to face the Los Angeles Chargers. While that’s not clear, Jones did return to the field for limited practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is a good sign that he is pushing to return for Week 8. If he is active, it is most likely to be on a snap count to avoid reinjury.
The official Vikings X account released their injury report with the caption, “The #Vikings final Week 8 injury report.”
The #Vikings final Week 8 injury report pic.twitter.com/LRP011ka49
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 22, 2025
Running back Jordan Mason is filling the lead while Jones is out. He is expected to stay heavily involved in Week 8 even if Jones is active. If Jones does return, Mason will be more for early down carries while Jones rotates for key plays.
The Vikings will face the Chargers, banged up, with most of their offensive line injured. They must take a cautious approach, focus on quick passes and ball retention, and avoid intensive plays. Currently, they rank 20th and have a C- grade according to the PFSN Offense Impact metric.
Mason could potentially have a hard time finding a place to run with the offensive line injured. Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw both have major knee injuries, as their pass protection weakens when they’re hurt. Having C.J. Ham completely out will reduce the number of holes Mason has to run through.
But good news, quarterback Carson Wentz is healthy again and can play against the Chargers. Expect the offense to emphasize short passes, screen plays, and quick releases against the Chargers to offset the lack of offensive reach, which will, in turn, protect the quarterback.
Now thinking about fantasy, Mason is the safest option since he’s healthy. Jones is a risky start, and with his limited ability, it could be rocky. If Jones does play, expect a split backfield and Jones on a snap count while Mason leads carries.
With protection spread thin and key players injured, the Vikings must focus on quick adjustments, ball control, and avoiding sacks to do well in Week 8.
