NFL Player News

Mason rushed 15 times for 68 yards and brought in his only target for seven yards in the Vikings' 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night.

Mason comfortably led the Vikings in rush attempts and rushing yards, outpacing the only other running back to log a carry, Aaron Jones, by seven carries and 45 yards. The Week 1 usage between the two players is eye-catching to say the least, considering Jones is the established incumbent of the ground attack under a returning coaching staff. Nevertheless, Mason is a proven commodity as an offseason addition, and head coach Kevin O'Connell may be most comfortable affording the latter the bulk of early-down work on most weeks. The next opportunity to see how the pecking order shakes out comes in a Week 2 home matchup against the Falcons on Sunday night.

Williams completed 21 of 35 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown while rushing six times for 58 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 27-24 loss to the Vikings.

Williams got the Ben Johnson era off to an efficient start, hitting his first 10 throws under Chicago's new head coach and play caller. That strong stretch also included a nine-yard Williams rushing touchdown to cap the opening drive. His first miss was a costly one, though, as it came on fourth down well into Vikings territory. Chicago took a 17-6 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Vikings responded with 21 unanswered points before Williams finally stemmed the bleeding with a one-yard touchdown pass to Rome Odunze with 2:02 remaining. The Bears got the ball back in the final seconds but couldn't muster a final push. Williams' rushing production was encouraging, but he struggled with accuracy after his hot start through the air. He'll try to put together a more complete performance against the Lions in Week 2.

McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while adding two carries for 25 yards and another score in the Vikings' 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night. He also threw a two-point conversion pass.

Making his long-awaited regular-season debut, McCarthy mostly scuffled through the first three quarters before igniting a 21-point outburst in the final period. The 2024 first-round pick connected with Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones for fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 13 and 27 yards, respectively, and he followed those scoring strikes with a 14-yard touchdown run to extend Minnesota's 20-17 lead at the 2:53 mark of the fourth quarter. McCarthy also completed a two-point conversion to Adam Thielen, and he connected with seven different targets overall when factoring in that scoring toss. The second-year signal-caller now will prepare for his home regular-season debut, a Week 2 matchup against the Falcons on Sunday night.

Jefferson secured four of seven targets for 44 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for four yards in the Vikings' 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night.

Like the rest of the Vikings offense, Jefferson had a mostly forgettable first three quarters. However, the star wideout eventually finished with team-high reception and target totals, and he recorded his first touchdown from J.J. McCarthy on a 13-yard grab early in the fourth quarter. Jefferson should naturally serve as McCarthy's top target as the season unfolds, and it was clear the second-year signal-caller was still getting acclimated to the NFL game in a tough road environment Monday night after a knee injury wiped out his entire 2024 rookie campaign. Jefferson will be in what should be more favorable conditions for strong production when the Vikings get a visit from the Falcons for a Week 2 home matchup on Sunday night.

Andrews has a high-ankle sprain, and his return timetable is undetermined, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Andrews was injured in the second half of Houston's Week 1 loss to the Rams. He had to be carted off the field, so while he seems likely to miss time, his diagnosis isn't a worst-case scenario. Jarrett Patterson is slated to start at center for the Texans until Andrews is ready to return.

Knight recorded 10 tackles (eight solo) and a defensed pass in Sunday's 17-16 victory versus the Browns.

Knight worked as a starter in his first regular-season NFL game after being drafted by Cincinnati in the second round of April's NFL Draft. The South Carolina product shined in his debut, finishing second on the Bengals in tackles behind Jordan Battle, who posted 12 stops. Knight logged 58 of his team's 76 defensive snaps in the victory.

Helm recorded one catch (on two targets) for 16 yards in Sunday's 20-12 loss to the Broncos.

Helm was on the field for 40 percent of offensive snaps, a relatively impressive mark considering it was his first regular-season game as a pro. He saw both of his targets in the first half of the first quarter, though the Titans' passing attack wasn't on track for most of the game. Helm may progress slowly, but he should have the chance to emerge as more of a consistent contributor later in the season.

Cashman (hamstring) has been ruled out for the remainder of Monday night's contest against the Bears, Lindsey Young of the Vikings' official site reports.

Cashman pulled up lame after trying to chase down Caleb Williams after the quarterback had escaped the pocket in the third quarter. It is now understood that the linebacker suffered a hamstring injury, and his status at practice this week will be worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Falcons in Week 2.

Hendrickson posted three tackles, including 1.0 sacks, in Sunday's 17-16 win over Cleveland.

Hendrickson didn't disappoint in the season opener a few weeks after getting a revised contract from the Bengals. He totaled three QB hits in the narrow victory, including a third-quarter sack of Joe Flacco. Hendrickson is off to a great start after finishing with 17.5 regular-season sacks in each of the past two campaigns.

Bates recorded six total tackles (two solo) in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Buccaneers.

Bates finished tied for the team lead in tackles in Week 1, playing all 56 of the team's defensive snaps. The safety is in his third season in Atlanta, and he remains one of the best players at his position in the league.