Source: Vikings elevate OBJ but not decided whether he'll play vs. Saints

• 

  Kevin SeifertOct 10, 2026, 03:30 PM ET

  Close

  Kevin Seifert is a staff writer who covers the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL at ESPN. Kevin has covered the NFL for over 20 years, joining ESPN in 2008. He was previously a beat reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Washington Times. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

The Minnesota Vikings have elevated receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from their practice squad for Sunday's game at the New Orleans Saints, a source said Saturday.

The team has not yet decided whether Beckham will be active and in unform, however. Coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that if Beckham were elevated, his game status would likely depend on the health of receivers Justin Jefferson (ankle) and Jordan Addison. A source reiterated Saturday that remains the case.

Neither Jefferson nor Addison had a full day of practice participation last week and were listed as questionable on the Friday injury report.

The Vikings signed Beckham on Wednesday with Jefferson and Addison ailing and No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings having caught only two passes on four targets in his first season with the team.

Speaking Wednesday to reporters in Minnesota, O'Connell recalled how Beckham appeared in a game three days after signing with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season. O'Connell was the Rams' offensive coordinator at the time.

"I've seen him do it before," O'Connell said. "The good thing about our system is we've got some mechanisms that either he can quickly learn, and know those are absolutes if we need to go that route in the game, if he were to be elevated."

The Vikings have started 4-0 despite an offense that has ranked among the NFL's worst. Jefferson suffered a sprained left ankle in Week 3, missed Week 4 and his available for Sunday's game in New Orleans has yet to be determined.

Beckham, 33, played 19 snaps in three games with the Giants and did not record a catch. Before returning this season, he had played his first five seasons with the franchise after being selected with the No. 12 pick in 2014. Beckham was hoping to resuscitate his career after not playing in the NFL since the 2024 season, when he caught just nine passes for 54 yards with the Dolphins.

Beckham has also played for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. He has 575 catches for 7,987 yards with 59 touchdowns in his career.