Packers-Vikings Injury Report | Nov. 12, 2026

The injury reports released Thursday tell a clearer story than any power ranking: both NFC North contenders are missing foundational pieces for Sunday's game at Lambeau Field. Minnesota will be without linebacker Blake Cashman, ruled out after failing to practice all week, while tight end T.J. Hockenson, defensive tackle Jalen Ingram-Dawkins, wide receiver Jordan Addison, and edge rusher Kyle Van Noy remained non-participants through Thursday — a pattern that historically signals unavailability. Green Bay's list is equally damaging. Running back Josh Jacobs is scheduled for surgery Friday on a broken finger, removing the offense's most consistent producer. Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, the team's sack leader, safety Javon Bullard, guard Sean Rhyan, and linebacker Zaire Franklin all sat out Thursday. Kicker Trey Smack was the lone upgrade, returning to full participation.

The absences rewrite the tactical calculus. Without Cashman and Van Noy, Minnesota's second-level run defense and pass-rush versatility evaporate, putting more pressure on Danielle Hunter and the interior line to generate pressure on Jordan Love. Hockenson's likely absence forces the Vikings into more two-receiver sets, limiting play-action diversity and leaving Addison's spot to be filled by a combination of Jalen Nailor and Brandon Powell. For Green Bay, losing Jacobs means AJ Dillon and Emanuel Wilson must carry the ground game against a Vikings front that still features Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard. Van Ness's absence is particularly acute: he leads the Packers with 8.5 sacks and his ability to set the edge against Minnesota's zone-read concepts is irreplaceable. Bullard's potential absence in the secondary coincides with a Vikings passing attack that, even without Addison, targets the middle of the field heavily through Justin Jefferson and Hockenson — if he plays.

Historical designation data offers little comfort. League-wide, only 6% of players listed as doubtful suit up, and 70-75% of questionable players play — but that aggregate masks positional variance. Kickers like Smack almost always play; edge rushers and linebackers with soft-tissue injuries rarely do. The Vikings' Thursday stagnation — no player upgraded from Wednesday's estimates — is the stronger signal. Teams typically use Thursday to test progress; no movement suggests the medical staff has already made the call. Green Bay's static report, save Smack, implies similar certainty.

The game's narrative has shifted from a clash of 6-2 division leaders to a test of depth and scheme adjustment. Green Bay's offense, built around Love's mobility and Jacobs's physicality, faces its first real adversity without its primary ball-carrier and best pass-rusher. Sunday will reveal whether the NFC North race bends on talent or on who survives the week.