The Vikings will look to avoid a third straight loss when they visit the rival Packers in Week 10, but a lengthy injury list could make that job easier said than done. After Thursday, six veteran players have missed back-to-back practices to start the week, increasing the likelihood that head coach Kevin O'Connell & Co. will be shorthanded Sunday afternoon.

One of this week's absentees is wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who's been hampered by a calf injury. On Tuesday, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he didn't expect Jennings's injury to be serious (h/t VikingzFanPage), but it's becoming concerning that the 29-year-old WR still hasn't seen the practice field this week.

Jennings hasn't done much this season (six catches for 54 touchdown-less receiving yards), but he was starting to step up recently. Assuming that trend would've continued against the Packers, who've allowed the T-14th-most receiving touchdowns (13) this season, it's safe to say that Jennings's absence might be felt.

When one door closes, another opens, though. A certain Minnesota WR has fallen off the radar recently, but a potential Jennings absence in Week 10 could put the forgotten playmaker back in a spot to make some noise this weekend.

Tai Felton could be more important to the Vikings' offensive plans amid Jauan Jennings's injury

When the 2026 NFL season began, Tai Felton was one of the bigger question marks in the Vikings' offense. The former 2025 third-round pick spent more snaps on special teams (293) than on offense (46) as a rookie, resulting in three catches for 25 receiving yards and a lot of questions about how Minnesota would use him behind top WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Year 2 started with nothing to write home about, as Felton failed to haul in two targets in the first three games and averaged 11.7 offensive snaps per appearance. Week 4 vs. the Dolphins seemed to be a turning point, as Felton recorded a then-season-high 14-yard reception before following that up with two catches for 27 yards against the Saints one week later.

It truly seemed like Felton was turning the page ahead of the bye week, but that's where his momentum stopped. Since Week 7, Felton has been targeted only once while playing 12 offensive snaps in the last three games, including when fellow depth WR Myles Price out-targeted him 4-to-0 against the Bills.

His present outlook isn't promising, but it's far too early to give up on Felton, who won't even turn 24 years old until March. His confidence might be shot at the moment, but that can quickly change with a solid effort in a must-win NFC North collision.

Packers' secondary is far from perfect

The Packers have done a commendable job defending the air this season, but that doesn't mean they're perfect.

After all, Green Bay has allowed an average of 255.0 passing yards in its last three games—not only noticeably above its season average (213.9), but also the eighth-most league-wide during that stretch. Sure, the Packers beat the Patriots last week despite those flaws, but it's worth noting that the Vikings' rival allowed 320 receiving yards and three TDs on just 22 catches in the win.

Hopefully, Felton and the rest of the Vikings' pass-catchers find a way to have a stronger performance against the Packers than they did in Week 1. Although Minnesota notched the season-opening win, Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz combined for only 15-of-24 passing for 151 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

It was good enough to get the job done that day, but now, with the NFC North's walls closing in, probably not?

A returning Kirk Cousins (assuming he plays) would be the first step toward having more aerial success against an arch-rival. Felton stepping up and proving why he was worthy of a Day 2 selection last year would be a solid second step.