The Minnesota Vikings got to 3-0 on Sunday, but the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came with another injury scare that could reshape the tight end room for a while.
Josh Oliver, who has been a steady part of Kevin O’Connell’s offense even while listed behind T.J. Hockenson, is feared to have suffered a torn biceps in the game and will undergo an MRI to determine whether that’s the case. If the testing confirms it, Oliver would be out indefinitely.
Oliver’s role has been bigger than his box score suggests. He has started all three games this season alongside Hockenson, played 24 snaps on Sunday, and has been on the field for 55% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps.
That usage is up from 46% last season and matches the 56% rate he posted in his first year with the Vikings. He also contributes on special teams.
The concern now is that he may not play again this season. The estimate around the injury is in the 4-6 month range, and with only three weeks gone, that puts his year in serious jeopardy.
Minnesota’s options are thin. Gavin Bartholomew is the only other tight end on the active roster, and he has logged just four offensive snaps and 42 on special teams this year. Ben Yurosek is on injured reserve, while Cam Grandy is on the practice squad.
That leaves the Vikings looking at outside help. Veteran Will Dissly is available, and his connection to general manager Nolan Teasley from their Seattle Seahawks days makes him a natural fit to watch. Other names in the mix include Taysom Hill, Tyler Conklin, and Nick Muse.
The Vikings aren’t the only team dealing with a major injury loss before Sunday’s matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Miami Dolphins will be without De’Von Achane, their top playmaker, for the rest of the season.
Achane had been a popular trade name this offseason, but Miami kept him and now has to move on without him. He made his first Pro Bowl last season after breaking out for 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns, and his 5.7 yards per attempt led the league. This year, he finishes with 127 yards on 34 carries.
For a Dolphins team already sitting at 0-3, the loss is a brutal one, and it leaves them as double-digit underdogs against Minnesota.
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