Vikings at Panthers: Initial injury reports

Wednesday, as we know, is the day that the first injury reports for the week come out for most of the National Football League teams, and the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers are no exception. Both teams have their first injury reports of the week available, so let’s take a look at them and see who’s practicing and who’s not.

As always, we start with the visiting team.

Minnesota Vikings

Did Not Participate

• LB Anthony Barr (knee)
• TE Ben Ellefson (knee)
• WR Justin Jefferson (ankle)
• RB Alexander Mattison (shoulder)
• DT Michael Pierce (elbow)
• WR Adam Thielen (foot)

Limited Participation

• RB Dalvin Cook (ankle)
• FB C.J. Ham (quadriceps)
• WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (toe)

Full Participation

• LB Nick Vigil (ankle)

Plenty of players on the injury report again for Minnesota to start the week, but since this is only Wednesday it’s probably a bit early to freak out about it or anything. Barr, who finally got on the field last week, is probably going to be doing this a lot throughout the course of the season as his knee condition is thought to be some sort of chronic issue. Jefferson and Thielen sitting out might raise some alarms, but the team is likely just playing it extra cautiously.

Dalvin Cook is once again practicing in a limited capacity, as is rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who has missed the last two games with a toe injury.

Two players, Everson Griffen and Harrison Smith, received “veteran rest” days.

Now, on to the home team.

Carolina Panthers

Did Not Participate

• LB Shaq Thompson (foot)

Limited Participation

• P Joseph Charlton (back)
• CB C.J. Henderson (shoulder)
• RB Christian McCaffrey (hamstring)

Full Participation

• OT Cameron Erving (neck)

Obviously, the big name here is McCaffrey, who has missed the last two games. . .both Carolina losses, coincidentally enough. . .after suffering a hamstring injury against Houston in Week 3. Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule has said that McCaffery looks to be “50-50” at this point in the week, so his status will definitely be something worth monitoring. Thompson was hurt in Week 4 and missed the Panthers’ loss to Philadelphia this past Sunday.

Those are your first injury reports of the week, folks. As we always do, we will be monitoring the status of all these injuries leading up to Sunday’s clash at Bank of America Stadium.