Aaron Jones' Knee Sidelines Him at Vikings Practice Ahead of Bucs
Jones sat out practice with a knee issue days after a 105-yard game, leaving Minnesota's backfield alarmingly thin.
Practice absence is precautionary, but monitor his workload all week.
- Jones ran 23 times for 105 yards in 9-3 win
- Missed practice with a knee issue
- Mason on IR, Dallas limited with toe injury
- Rookie Demond Claiborne only healthy backup
- Bucs matchup looms Sunday
Aaron Jones sat out Vikings practice with a knee issue, and the timing stings — it comes just days after he carried the load 23 times for 105 yards in Minnesota's grind-it-out 9-3 win. Head coach Kevin O'Connell downplayed the alarm, saying Jones feels great and is bouncing around the building as usual, but the team wants to let the knee settle before deciding on Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.
O'Connell said they'll keep treatment going around the clock and try to ramp Jones' workload up as the week progresses. Translation: this is a maintenance-and-monitor situation, not a red alert. Still, a full DNP on the injury report is never nothing, and fantasy managers need to keep a close eye on the Wednesday-to-Friday practice trend.
The Backfield Behind Him Is Bare
Here's what makes the Jones situation genuinely nervy: there's almost nothing behind him. Jordan Mason is on injured reserve, and DeeJay Dallas was limited in practice with a toe injury. That leaves sixth-round rookie Demond Claiborne as the only healthy running back on the active roster.
Mason was the clear insurance policy, and it's worth remembering what he offered before landing on IR — 758 rushing yards and six touchdowns across 16 games in 2025, good for 129 PPR points and a No. 35 finish at the position. Dallas, by contrast, has been fantasy dead weight, managing just 21 rushing yards and 2 PPR points over six games in 2025. Neither is a live option right now.
The injury report ran deep beyond the backfield, too. Linebacker Jake Golday (ankle) and punter Brett Thorson (right hamstring) also missed practice, while Brian O'Neill (knee), Nick Samac (knee), Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (oblique) and Jalen Redmond (elbow) were all limited participants.
The Fantasy Fallout
Don't drop Jones or scramble to bench him yet — every signal from O'Connell points to precaution, and Jones himself reportedly feels good. Keep him in your lineup plans but line up a contingency, because the thin depth chart means an inactive tag could crater your Week plans with zero handcuff value. If Jones is limited or missing again by Friday, pivot fast; if he practices in full, start him with confidence against Tampa Bay.
