Lamar Jackson and J.J. McCarthy are set to take the field for the first time in several weeks in Week 9, possibly providing a boost to their respective teams. But if they're anything like Tom Brady, don't expect them to light the world up in their first few drives back on the field.

After missing the last five games due to a high ankle sprain, J.J. McCarthy is set to return for the Vikings and make the third start of his career against the Lions this week. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus and has been out for an extended period once again this season, but is finally ready to play on Sunday.

Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more] Caleb Williams "Get right" spot Since the Week 5 bye, Caleb Williams' fantasy PPG has dropped from 20.5 to 12.1, as he’s gone back-to-back games without a touchdown.

Tom Brady breaks down the emotional and strategic side of returning to the field after a major injury. In this episode of Story Time with Tom, the GOAT talks about the importance of getting starting quarterbacks back on the field,

With that prior up-and-down play in mind, it'd be hard to ignore the possibility of the Vikings shielding McCarthy, particularly over these last few weeks when Wentz was injured. With him now on IR, however, McCarthy has to come out of the shadows and either prove that he is the franchise centerpiece or not.

We’re roughly halfway through the NFL’s regular season schedule. Next up, is NFL Week 9, where there are 14 football

J.J. McCarthy watched on as Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings dropped their second-straight game, falling to 3-4 on the 2025 NFL season after a 37-10 loss to Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8's edition of "Thursday Night Football.

Former Michigan stars Aidan Hutchinson and J.J. McCarthy will soon share a field for the first time since 2021, but this time on different teams.