Running back Alexander Mattison and left tackle Rashod Hill are among the Vikings players slated to start for an injury-thinned roster during Sunday's season finale in Detroit.
Vikings-Lions inactives: Alexander Mattison, Rashod Hill set to start in season finale
The Vikings will be without nine Week 1 starters due to injury or personal reasons during Sunday's season finale in Detroit.
January 3, 2021 at 5:01PM
Mattison will make his second start of the season with Dalvin Cook away from the team after his father unexpectedly passed away this week. Hill is replacing left tackle Riley Reiff, who did not make the trip to Detroit as he remains isolated on the COVID list.
The Vikings will have kicker Dan Bailey, who was listed questionable due to an ailing back that kept him from practicing much this week.
Two cornerbacks, Cordrea Tankersley and Tae Hayes, were promoted from the practice squad before kickoff. Rookie fifth-round pick Harrison Hand is expected to start opposite fellow rookie Jeff Gladney, with cornerbacks Cameron Dantzler and Chris Jones ruled out.
Defensive end Eddie Yarbrough has also been elevated from the practice squad through a COVID roster exemption (for Reiff). He'll be available for a thinned defensive line also featuring rookie D.J. Wonnum, Jordan Brailford and Hercules Mata'afa. Starting defensive ends Ifeadi Odenigbo and Jalyn Holmes were ruled out.
Linebackers Todd Davis and Troy Dye return from injuries, slightly restocking the middle of the defense after both missed the Christmas Day loss in New Orleans. Eric Kendricks' season is over due to the calf injury that popped up in early December.
Reiff has an additional $1 million on the line Sunday despite not playing. He has a $1 million incentive for reaching 93.75% playing time, and he hadn't missed a snap before Sunday. If the Vikings offense takes 67 snaps against the Lions, he'll technically fall below the mark having seen all 1,002 snaps so far.
Receiver Justin Jefferson is 111 yards away from breaking Anquan Boldin's 2003 record for most receiving yards by a rookie (1,377) in the Super Bowl era.
Vikings' inactives: Cook (personal), Odenigbo (chest), Holmes (groin), Dantzler (hamstring), Jones (groin), Kendricks (calf) and guard Kyle Hinton
Lions' inactives: WR Kenny Golladay (hip), LB Jamie Collins Sr. (neck), G Joe Dahl (back), OL Tyrell Crosby (ankle), OL Logan Stenberg, DT Albert Huggins and S Bobby Price
Detroit will be without a slew of starters, but nose tackle Danny Shelton will return from a knee injury after being activated from injured reserve on Saturday.
Andrew Krammer is joined by Matthew Coller of Purple Insider to discuss the Vikings offense, what they think of Justin Fields and the Bears, and they talk what's been expected and unexpected through four games.
