Sam Darnold's connection with Justin Jefferson is about as strong as the Vikings could've hoped, but the hope entering Sunday's game was that Jordan Addison would take on a larger role in Minnesota's offense.
Addison missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to injury but made his presence felt in his Week 4 return with two touchdowns against the Packers. Still, with only three catches in the win, it felt like there was room for Addison to get even more involved against the Jets.
The Vikings' offense had an up-and-down first half in London, with Jefferson making some big plays but Darnold taking a few hard hits. Minnesota finished the half in control, leading 17-7, but the offense scored only one touchdown.
Here's what you need to know about Addison's status after he was held without a catch in the first half against the Jets.
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Is Jordan Addison playing today?
Addison is healthy and playing against the Jets, but he was held without a catch in the first half.
Darnold did target Addison, though perhaps not as much as many fantasy owners would like. Addison was targeted twice in the first half and didn't haul in either pass. He finally got involved with a pair of catches early in the third quarter, including a 27-yard grab.
There is no indication Addison was dealing with any injury early on, despite an ankle issue that kept him out for two weeks in September. Darnold completed only six passes in the first half, with four of them going to Jefferson, so there just wasn't enough to go around for the rest of the Vikings' receiving corps.
The Jets' defense tightened the screws as the first half went on, which made life more difficult for the Vikings' passing game. Darnold took three sacks, coming under consistent pressure as New York's defense tried to make up for a brutal first half by the offense.
The Vikings may try to play it safe with a lead in the second half, though the running game might not be as effective with Aaron Jones (hip) dealing with an injury himself. If they're forced to pass, Addison might be too talented not to work his way into the box score at some point.
Jordan Addison final stats
- 8 targets
- 3 receptions
- 36 yards
- 0 touchdowns
Addison didn't look limited by a lingering injury. He had the second-most yards, receptions and targets behind Justin Jefferson. Addison still looks like the clear number two behind Jefferson and it is encouraging that he saw eight targets in the win. He had eight targets combined in the first two week of the season.
