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Will J.J. McCarthy play in Week 3 for fantasy football, or is J.J. McCarthy injured? How long is J.J. McCarthy out for? Read the latest J.J. McCarthy injury report.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) couldn't replicate his fourth quarter heroics in a miserable loss to the Atlanta Falcons at home in Week 2. He was also a massive fantasy dud, scoring just 4.8 PPR fantasy points after an impressive 23.2-point performance in his NFL debut.
McCarthy struggled to get anything going against the Falcons. He threw two interceptions, one of them an egregious overthrow into triple coverage, and didn't score a touchdown. He also fumbled the ball three times. One of those turned into a turnover for the other team.
McCarthy has now played seven quarters of terrible football, so it's worth considering if we were at least somewhat misled by the comeback win in Week 1. But he's apparently also dealing with an injury. So will he play in Week 3? Let's dive in.
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J.J. McCarthy Fantasy Football Injury Update
McCarthy is dealing with an ankle sprain right now. It hasn't been clarified if it's a high or low-ankle sprain, which is important information, but sprains can be complicated, and we're unlikely to see imaging of his ankle from his medical appointments.
There are two possible plays in which the injury occurred on a rush play where he scrambled to the left in an attempt to pick up a first down. As he was tackled, though, a defender fell down onto the back of his feet and ankles, and it seems that one of his feet got pinned in an unnatural position.
J.J McCarthy had been hit and rolled up on multiple times, but it was likely this play at the start of the fourth quarter where he sustained the injury. https://t.co/W2Vp4htPiP pic.twitter.com/y2q4V52Y4o
— silas (@silasbobendrier) September 15, 2025
The other was the sack above, in which you can see one of his ankles pinned in an awkward position. Either way, sprained ankles can sometimes take time to really show their teeth. While a combination of adrenaline and lack of initial swelling can help mask some of the pain and mobility issues, the next day, things can get hairier.
McCarthy could have woken up in severe pain this morning, causing Minnesota to take his injury a bit more seriously.
Is J.J. McCarthy Playing in Week 3?
No. McCarthy was ruled out of his Week 3 contest not long ago. In his place, backup QB Carson Wentz will start. The Vikings are reeling from multiple offensive injuries. Running back Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring), left tackle Justin Skule (concussion), center Ryan Kelly (concussion), and now McCarthy are all likely to not play in Week 3.
Two weeks into the season, and the Vikings are battling injuries or suspensions to these players:
C.J. Ham
Ryan Kelly
Justin Skule
Ty Chandler
Jeff Okudah
Aaron Jones
J.J. McCarthy
Harrison Smith
Blake Cashman
Jordan Addison
Rondale Moore
Gabriel Murphy
Christian Darrisaw…— Dustin Baker (@DustBaker) September 15, 2025
As a whole, Minnesota is dealing with a ton of injuries on both sides of the ball. We might see diminished performances from many of their players in the coming weeks, especially until left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee), one of the league's best pass-protectors, returns to play.
J.J. McCarthy Fantasy Football Outlook for Week 3
There is no outlook for Week 3, as he's hurt and has been ruled out. And moving forward, things might be very rocky. The offensive line play was very poor in Week 2, and Atlanta's pass rush absolutely feasted, sacking McCarthy six times for 38 lost yards of offense. It's tough to succeed like that.
JJ McCarthy:
-Backup Center, 3rd String LT
-Probably Sleep Deprived After the Miracle of Birth
-Missed a Practice to Witness Said Miracle of Birth (Rightfully So)
-No Addison
-Jones Got Hurt
-Hockenson Drops
-Sacked 6 Times. 3 Were Free Rushers.He'll be fine. #BelieveIn9 pic.twitter.com/Bwk2CDJU0J
— Purple FTW! Podcast (@PurpleForTheWin) September 15, 2025
He'll likely be dropped in many leagues, and it would be hard to blame fantasy managers for doing so. McCarthy has a long road of development ahead of him, and this Vikings team needs to get healthier so they can provide him the pass protection he needs.
It wouldn't hurt if Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell would start calling more plays with quickly developing routes. Shorter targets for WR Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson would help get the passing game going and McCarthy to get more comfortable, too.
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