The Minnesota Vikings should have their veteran running back active in Week 10, when they return home to host the Baltimore Ravens. The team expects Aaron Jones to overcome his shoulder injury and play in his third consecutive game.
Jones returned from injured reserve in Week 8 after missing the previous four games with a hamstring injury. He hurt his shoulder in Week 9 and was listed as questionable throughout the week, but is expected to face the Ravens, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.
Jones was brought along slowly in his Week 8 return, but he looked healthy in Week 9. The 30-year-old racked up 78 rushing yards on just nine carries while adding 20 receiving yards on two catches.
Barring a setback, Jones should return to the Vikings' starting lineup. He has started all four games he has appeared in this year, totaling 139 rushing yards on 27 carries to average 5.1 yards per attempt.
If Jones is unable to go, Jordan Mason will get another start at running back for the Vikings. Mason is the team's leading rusher on the year with 419 rushing yards, though he is averaging just 4.3 yards per carry. Zavier Scott will provide depth behind the veterans, with Ty Chandler still on IR.
Whether it is Jones or Mason, the Vikings' run game is in for a potentially big week. The Ravens enter Week 10 allowing 123.6 rushing yards per game, the 11th-most in the NFL. They also rank in the bottom half of the league in opponent yards per rush and rushing touchdowns allowed.
Vikings benefiting from Aaron Jones' injury return
The Vikings return home after a 27-24 win over the Detroit Lions that snapped a two-game skid. Minnesota clearly benefited from not only having Jones back but also having J.J. McCarthy return at quarterback.
The Vikings only accumulated 258 yards of total offense, but they were extremely efficient in the red zone. McCarthy racked up three total touchdowns, while Minnesota's defense held Detroit to just 65 rushing yards.
Regardless, the Vikings looked better in Week 9 than they have in a while. The Carson Wentz magic had clearly worn off in recent weeks, setting up McCarthy and Jones' returns at the perfect time to give the team a much-needed boost.
Despite their offensive resurgence, the Vikings are still positioned as underdogs at home in Week 10. Oddsmakers line the Ravens as 4.5-point favorites to extend their win streak to three with Lamar Jackson back to full form.
