Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Sun 1/8/23 11:36 AM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (personal) is inactive for Sunday's regular season finale against Chicago, Andrew Kramer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith traveled with the team but did not warm up and will not play. The Vikings may be playing it safe with Smith's health ahead of the playoffs.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Fri 1/6/23 3:16 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (personal) is questionable for Sunday's matchup in Chicago, but he's still expected to play against the Bears, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
EDGE Analysis
Per Goessling, it's unclear if Smith will travel with the team to Chicago, but the star pass rusher is expected to join the Vikings before Sunday's game. After recording 9.5 sacks over his first nine appearances with Minnesota, Smith has mustered just half a sack across the past seven games.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Wed 11/23/22 4:46 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation for Thursday's game against the Patriots, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith was limited at practice Monday and Tuesday, but he was a full participant Wednesday and will be available for the Vikings' matchup against New England. Over the last four games, he's tallied 15 tackles (12 solo), including four sacks, and four pass defenses.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Mon 11/21/22 5:23 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) was listed as limited on Monday's injury report, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith was dealing with the injury heading into Sunday's loss against the Cowboys, but he did play through it. Considering the team only held a walkthrough Monday, his listing is just an estimate. However, if Smith is unable to play Thursday against the Patriots, D.J. Wonnum likely would be in line for extra opportunities.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Sun 11/20/22 3:20 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) has been ruled active for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
EDGE Analysis
Smith picked up a knee contusion during the Vikings' win over Buffalo in Week 10, leaving him limited in practice ahead of this contest. However, the 30-year-old will suit up as previously expected, and he should reprise a prominent pass-rushing role opposite Danielle Hunter.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Sat 11/19/22 7:08 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) is officially listed as questionable, but he's expected to play Sunday against the Cowboys, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith has yet to miss a game this season and is on track to maintain that streak in Week 11, but fantasy managers in IDP leagues should still confirm the linebacker's status before locking him into lineups. The Vikings don't kick off until 4:25 p.m. ET, so ideally, Minnesota will release further context on Smith's status before the first wave of games Sunday.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Fri 11/18/22 3:09 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
EDGE Analysis
Smith suffered a knee contusion during Minnesota's Week 10 win over Buffalo and was limited throughout Week 11 prep. If the star pass rusher is sidelined, D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones would be candidates for increased roles.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Thu 11/17/22 6:14 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith (knee) was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
EDGE Analysis
Smith has now logged back-to-back limited sessions to open Week 11 prep, after he sustained a knee contusion during last Sunday's win over the Bills. The veteran pass rusher will have one more opportunity Friday to ramp back up to full speed, otherwise he'll carry an injury designation heading into Sunday's game versus the Cowboys. If Smith is unable to gain medical clearance before the weekend, then D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones would be in line for additional snaps.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Sun 11/13/22 5:57 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said that Smith is dealing with a knee contusion following Sunday's 33-30 overtime win against the Bills, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith once again played a large role in Minnesota's pass rush, as he knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage and sacked quarterback Josh Allen for a 13-yard loss before going down with this knee late in the fourth quarter. The 30-year-old remained down on the field for some time but was eventually able to walk off under his own power, per Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. While Smith never received an official injury designation before the end of overtime, it will be worth monitoring his status heading into next Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
Za'Darius Smith EDR/DE FA Tue 11/1/22 8:23 PM
Za'Darius Smith
EDR/DE FA
Smith recorded seven tackles, including three sacks, and one pass defensed during Sunday's 34-26 win over the Cardinals.
EDGE Analysis
Although Smith was temporarily forced out of Sunday's contest with a knee issue, that didn't stop him from wreaking havoc on Arizona's offensive line en route to seven tackles and an impressive three sacks. The veteran is now tied with Matthew Judon as the NFL's sack leader with 8.5, despite having played one fewer game. Smith will look to keep momentum churning Sunday in Washington.