Is Aaron Jones playing this week? Injury update, Vikings RB fantasy outlook ahead of Week 7 vs. Lions

The Vikings are one of the NFL’s two remaining undefeated teams, but they may face their toughest challenge yet in Week 7.

With a matchup against the Lions on the horizon, Minnesota’s offense will look to continue its hot start to 2024. Through the Vikings’ first five games, they averaged 27.8 points, ranking fifth in the NFL.

Running back Aaron Jones played a key role in this success, as he recorded 350 rushing yards in his first five contests. But Jones’ status for Week 7 is in question as he battles injury concerns.

Will Jones play against Detroit this week? Here’s what to know about his status in Week 7, a look at Minnesota’s running back depth chart and Jones’ fantasy prospects.

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Is Aaron Jones playing this week? Vikings RB injury update

Jones is considered doubtful to play on Sunday due to a hamstring injury. But NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Jones will “likely” play against the Lions.

Minnesota is coming off its bye week, which gave Jones a longer opportunity to recover. According to the Vikings’ injury report, Jones did not practice on Wednesday and had limited practice on Thursday and Friday.

Jones’ official status remains uncertain, but reports from Rapoport indicate he has a chance to play in a significant divisional matchup between the Vikings and Lions. Entering Week 7, all four teams in the NFC North are above .500, making for an intense finish to the division race as the season progresses.

Detroit, Minnesota, Green Bay and Chicago all appear to be playoff contenders, making every division game crucial to playoff scenarios. Without suffering a loss yet, the Vikings have the upper hand in the NFC playoff race – and Jones isn’t their only offensive player who is nearly fully healthy.

Tight end TJ Hockenson could also return from a long-term injury soon, giving Sam Darnold another strong weapon to lean on. Whether Jones will officially be ready to play on Sunday remains to be seen — the Vikings will announce their inactive list about 90 minutes before the start of the game — but if he’s healthy, he’ll continue to play an important role for Minnesota on the ground.

MORE: Will Cooper Kupp play in Week 7?

Vikings RB depth chart

rank	player
1	Aaron Jones (questionable)
2	Ty Chandler
3	Cam Akers
4	Myles Gaskin

#1: Aaron Jones

Jones signed a one-year deal with Minnesota after recording 656 rushing yards in 11 games for the Packers in 2023.

After seven seasons in Green Bay, Jones has found the end zone twice so far this season for the Vikings. His official status for Sunday’s game has not yet been determined, but reportedly he will “probably” play against the Lions.

#2: Ty Chandler

If Jones can’t play against Detroit, Chandler would likely be Minnesota’s starting running back. A recent addition to the running back room could change the Vikings’ depth chart, but right now Chandler is second in line behind Jones.

In five games, Chandler had 147 rushing yards on 42 carries.

No. 3: Cam Akers

The Akers timeline in Minnesota is a bit confusing. He began 2023 with the Rams before moving to the Vikings and spending the rest of the season with Minnesota. He then signed with the Texans in the offseason, but just a few days ago Houston traded him back to the Vikings.

No matter the reason for Minnesota getting Akers back, he gives the team another strong running back option. In five games with the Texans, Akers recorded 147 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.

No. 4: Myles Gaskin

Gaskin rounds out the team’s running back depth chart but hasn’t seen much action this season.

His three carries in 2024 mean he has a loss of one yard.

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Aaron Jones Fantasy Outlook Week 7

While Jones hasn’t had as much success finding the end zone as some of the league’s other top running backs, he is a strong starting option when healthy.

However, assuming he’s ready to go in Week 7, as reports suggest, Jones would face a tough matchup in the Lions’ run defense, which has allowed just 416 rushing yards this season (third-best in the NFL). .

Despite a difficult matchup, the fact that he plays in one of the best offenses in the league makes Jones a good fantasy player on a weekly basis. With Minnesota often in the red zone, Jones is always a threat to score – so he’ll be ready to go in Week 7 as usual, but expectations should be taken into account as Jones faces a tough matchup and is coming off a hamstring injury.

In better matchups and at full health, Jones is capable of producing RB1. However, this week against the Lions, he should fall into the lower RB2 range should he play.