Vikings rookie Akayleb Evans headed for first NFL start with Cameron Dantzler likely out

The Vikings will likely be without Cameron Dantzler for Sunday's game at Buffalo, according to coach Kevin O'Connell, who on Monday called the cornerback's chances of playing through an ankle injury a "long shot."

Dantzler was scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging exam Monday after suffering the injury in the second quarter of Sunday's 20-17 victory at Washington. He was replaced by rookie cornerback Akayleb Evans, who could be in line for his first NFL start vs. the Bills.

"It's probably a long shot that [Dantzler] is available to us this week," O'Connell said. "It's kind of on that week-to-week timeline, but I never say never with our sports performance staff."

O'Connell is also in wait-and-see mode on defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who missed the Commanders game because of a right calf injury suffered Oct. 30 vs. Arizona. He didn't sound optimistic about Tomlinson returning this week, pointing to how the Vikings are scheduled to play the next three games in a 12-day span.

"Same type of situation with where Cam's at now," O'Connell said. "Hoping to have him, but ... just want to make sure he's healthy and ready to go when we get him back out there so that he can hit the ground running for what's going to be a pretty grueling stretch."

Evans, the fourth-round pick out of Missouri, played well in relief against the Commanders with two tackles for a loss and a fourth-down deflection. He credited the tutelage of cornerback Patrick Peterson, who has played host to Evans at his home for film study "a couple times," for catching on quickly.

So he's ready to face Bills quarterback Josh Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs in his first start?

"Whenever an opportunity is presented, you have to take advantage of it," Evans said. "I feel like you shouldn't have fear in your heart. You have to trust in your ability and your skill set and put it to the test."

Allen, whose 19 touchdown passes trail only the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, picked up an elbow injury late in the Bills' 20-17 loss to the Jets. While Allen downplayed the injury to Buffalo reporters after the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott was noncommittal about his quarterback's availability for the game against the Vikings.

Allen finished the game but struggled as four of his last five throws fell incomplete and he took two sacks at the end. He's being evaluated for an injury to his "ulnar collateral ligament and related nerves," according to a report by ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

"We're just going through it, still evaluating," McDermott told Buffalo reporters. "I'll know more in the next 24 hours."

"The one definite thing I can tell you is we know Josh and how competitive he is," McDermott added. "I wouldn't count him out. That's the one thing I do know about him right now. The medical piece, we're still evaluating it."

Buffalo's backup is former Vikings quarterback Case Keenum.

After safety Harrison Smith intercepted Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke, the rest of the defenders on the field formed 10 bowling pins. Smith stood back and rolled the football into the crowd for a strike as his teammates collapsed to the ground.

"We all talked about it in the locker room," Evans said. "It was a big conversation. So as soon as it happened, we all just lined up and did it. When I saw the video, I was like, 'OK, it looked like how we wanted it to.' It was a clean celebration."

Tight end T.J. Hockenson "already feels like a fit" in the Vikings offense after a strong debut, said O'Connell, who praised the 6-foot-5 target's ability to get open and make the catch even when he's not. Hockenson had nine catches for 70 yards in Washington.

"The one thing that jumped out is he's just a big target that can get in and out of breaks," O'Connell said. "Set routes up, complementary cuts, he understands how to win at the top of routes with different tools, and ultimately be able to finish those plays."