Vikings' Brian O'Neill, Alexander Mattison out vs. Bengals; Jaren Hall will be backup QB

No Vikings player has been on the field for a larger percentage of the team's offensive snaps this season than Brian O'Neill. The right tackle won't be available, however, on Saturday.

The Vikings ruled O'Neill out for the game at Cincinnati, after he missed his third consecutive day of practice Thursday because of the sprained left ankle he suffered Sunday at Las Vegas.

Before he was injured, O'Neill had played every offensive snap for the Vikings this season, returning from the avulsion fracture he sustained in his right ankle on Jan. 1. He has been on the field for 830 of the team's 872 snaps, 30 more than any other Vikings offensive player.

With O'Neill out vs. the Bengals, David Quessenberry will start at right tackle after taking over for O'Neill on Sunday.

"His mental makeup is great. He's got [strength], length, all the things you want in a tackle," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said of Quessenberry. "I love everything about him: the way he steps in there. There's never any flinch. He's got more juice than anybody on the sideline, in the huddle, and I think he makes us better, having a guy like that, that can step in in those critical moments."

Running back Alexander Mattison, who sprained his right ankle Sunday, will also be out Saturday. Mattison was on the field briefly during the open portion of the Vikings' Thursday practice, but he left before players started any work.

O'Connell said Ty Chandler, who carried 12 times for 35 yards against the Raiders, will be the lead back for the Vikings against the Bengals. "Ty has been trending toward getting more carries," O'Connell said. "We're excited to see Kene [Nwangwu] get some opportunities."

He said the Vikings will determine whether to elevate running back Myles Gaskin or DeWayne McBride from the practice squad. Fullback C.J. Ham, who had one carry for 7 yards last week and frequently plays as a pass protector on third downs, could get more work with Mattison out.

Vikings receiver Jalen Nailor is also out because of a concussion.

A week ago, the Vikings emerged from their bye planning to stick with Joshua Dobbs as their starting quarterback at Las Vegas. This week at Cincinnati, they will start the game with Dobbs as their third QB.

O'Connell said the Vikings will make rookie Jaren Hall their No. 2 quarterback behind Nick Mullens, who will start after replacing Dobbs against the Raiders. Hall started the Vikings' first game after Kirk Cousins tore his right Achilles tendon, but has been the team's No. 3 QB since returning from the concussion he suffered at the end of the first quarter at Atlanta on Nov. 5.

Hall, O'Connell said, is fully recovered from his concussion. He made the fifth-round pick the No. 2 QB this week in part to get him more work during the practice week, as the Vikings continue to develop him.

"I wanted him to go about the week, kind of simulating as if he was playing, using it as a real tool for his development and growth," O'Connell said. "We'll kind of go about it that way."

O'Connell pulled Dobbs in the fourth quarter against the Raiders, after the quarterback had completed only 10 of 23 passes for 63 yards in a game that remained scoreless for three quarters. O'Connell announced Tuesday he would start Mullens against the Bengals after the quarterback completed nine of 13 passes for 83 yards while setting up the winning field goal at Las Vegas.

"Josh Dobbs will be ready to play, like he has, to help us go 3-2 over the last five," O'Connell said. "Tons of confidence in all three guys. I know our entire offensive group feels that way."

Though the Vikings listed Justin Jefferson as questionable for the game with the chest injury that knocked him out of the Raiders game, the receiver is expected to be ready for the Bengals.

"He did probably more than I originally expected, and responded really well to all the work," O'Connell said. "We feel really good about where Justin's at."

Jefferson's LSU teammate, Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, was a full participant in practice Thursday after being limited because of an ankle injury earlier in the week and carries no injury designation for the game.