J.J. McCarthy is not playing because he suffered a high ankle sprain during the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He was officially ruled out for the Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks. The injury is serious enough that McCarthy has not practiced since sustaining it, and his return is described as "week-to-week." During his absence, veteran quarterback Carson Wentz is starting for the Vikings. This setback further delays McCarthy's development after having missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus. The injury is purely the reason for his absence, not his performance issues.