Carson Wentz will serve as the Vikings’ starting quarterback again in Week 7, as presumptive QB1 J.J. McCarthy is still dealing with a high ankle sprain that has kept him on the sidelines since Week 3. Head coach Kevin O’Connell previously stopped short of confirming McCarthy would be back in the starting lineup when he is fully healthy, and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reiterates O’Connell will continue his wait-and-see approach (video link).
While making clear that McCarthy is not yet recovered from the ankle injury – meaning the Vikes are not overstating the ailment to allow the second-year passer to save face – Rapoport says O’Connell will not make a true Wentz-or-McCarthy decision until McCarthy is 100%. And it is certainly possible that Wentz forces O’Connell’s hand.
McCarthy has underwhelmed in seven of the eight quarters he has played in 2025. That is perhaps not surprising given that the 2024 first-rounder missed his entire rookie campaign because of a knee injury and then practiced just one time after Minnesota’s Week 1 victory this year due to the birth of his son (h/t Rapoport). Considering the Vikings’ investment in him and obvious faith in his abilities – despite his lost rookie season, the team allowed both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency – they obviously want to give him every opportunity to succeed.
On the other hand, Minnesota is 3-2 and has postseason aspirations after narrowly missing out on the NFC’s No. 1 seed last year. Wentz, a 10-year veteran with 97 starts to his name, has played reasonably well in relief of his younger counterpart, guiding the club to a 2-1 record during his three games at the helm (he came up just short of a comeback victory in the one loss and posted quarterback ratings of 102.1 and 129.8 in the two wins).
Per Rapoport, McCarthy’s injury is also likely to force him out of the team’s Week 8 game with the Chargers, a Thursday night affair that will take place shortly after Sunday’s Week 7 matchup against the Eagles. Both of those will be difficult games, and if Wentz struggles, O’Connell should have no trouble reinserting McCarthy.
But if Wentz leads the Vikings to wins and runs his personal record to 4-1 this season, Rapoport thinks O’Connell will keep him atop the depth chart, irrespective of McCarthy’s health.