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After missing all of last season with a torn meniscus, Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. suffered another setback earlier this month when he had thumb surgery.
While Smith is a talented player, availability has become a definite issue for him.
Will the Vikings have Irv Smith Jr. back for Week 1?
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Is Irv Smith Jr. Injured?
According to the Vikings, Smith had thumb surgery on August 2nd:
https://twitter.com/Vikings/status/1554528551537459200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1554528551537459200%7Ctwgr%5E03d33afcba0e5fc534a82a117e89e7bc72517a71%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvikingswire.usatoday.com%2F2022%2F08%2F02%2Fvikings-te-irv-smith-jr-underwent-thumb-surgery-tuesday%2F
Considering Smith didn't play at all in 2021 because of a torn meniscus, seeing that he's missing crucial time during camp is not great.
The Vikings have a new coaching staff, and Smith needs time to gel with this new group. Now, the former second-round pick finds himself in a position he doesn't want to be in: a year removed from action on a team whose coaches don't have the "we drafted him, so we want him to succeed" attitude that his former coaching staff would have likely had.
Will Irv Smith Jr. Play In Week 1?
The Vikings originally were optimistic that Smith could play, as the team's original release said Smith was expected back for the start of the season.
Since the surgery, though, there hasn't really been a lot of news on the Smith front. We haven't heard about any setbacks, so that could be a good sign for his Week 1 availability.
But there's also still roughly a month until Week 1. That's plenty of time for things to change. Fantasy managers who've already drafted Smith should ensure they have a backup option for Week 1, although considering Smith's ADP, it's likely he's not the only tight end on your roster.
What Fantasy Value Does Irv Smith Jr. Have?
Smith's such a fascinating player that he'll always have some fantasy intrigue:
And sure, we have to stop expecting a breakout at some point. And sure, an injury in camp for a guy who last played in 2020 is a bad sign. But still, Smith's athletic traits really pop. In 2020, he caught five touchdowns in a part-time role, and if this new Vikings offense emphasizes the passing game more, Smith could be in a good place. The other thing is that unless Minnesota makes a move, the other tight ends are Johnny Mundt, Ben Ellefson, and Zach Davidson. Smith is clearly the most talented TE on the roster.
So, even with the injury setback, he's an intriguing TE2 pick. Don't draft him as your starter, but he's someone you can roster in hopes that he puts it all together, even if this injury makes that a little less likely.
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