Bengals Down Top Pick vs MN Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are set to square off against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It’s the first non-primetime game of the year for Kevin O’Connell & Co., and it will feature a new starting quarterback on both sides of the field.

Carson Wentz will take over for an injured JJ McCarthy, who was officially ruled out on Friday and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with an ankle injury. Meanwhile, former Viking Jake Browning is set to relieve Joe Burrow of his starting QB duties, after the former No. 1 overall pick was placed on IR with turf toe this week.

But both the Vikings and Bengals are dealing with more problems on the injury front, than losing their starting quarterbacks. Minnesota ruled out Ryan Kelly on Friday. Star left tackle Christian Darrisaw remains questionable, entering the weekend, as does Harrison Smith and Andrew Van Ginkel, on the defensive side.

Shemar Stewart out for Cincinnati Bengals

For the Cincinnati Bengals, they will now be down two first round draft picks on Sunday, after ruling out 2025 No. 17 overall pick Shemar Stewart, a defensive end out of Texas A&M, who quickly rose to starting status by week two.

Unfortunately for Stewart and the Bengals, his first career start ended in him being helped off the field, after he suffered an ankle injury late in Cincinnati’s week two contest vs Cleveland.

#Bengals DE Shemar Stewart (ankle) is out for Sunday's game vs. the #Vikings.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 19, 2025

Shemar Stewart now being helped off the field pic.twitter.com/Qt2yxNiQ8E

— Matt Digby (@Matt247Now) September 14, 2025

Through his first two NFL games, Stewart has played 66 defensive snaps for the Bengals, or 45%, collecting just a pair of tackles. In Shemar’s defense, his PFF grades — 69.6 DEF (66.9 Pass Rush | 62.4 Run Defense) — look a bit better than his pro football reference page.

Still, the Aggie alum has yet record his first NFL sack, which will have to now wait until week four, at the earliest. On the other sideline. it would be nice to see the Minnesota Vikings get through a game with something resembling a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, just like their opponent, they won’t go in with one on Sunday.