Kyler Murray Out With Hamstring Strain; Carson Wentz Starts Monday Night Against the Bills

By The Arena Staff

EAGAN, Minn., Nov. 6, 2026 — Monday Night Football between the 6-1 Vikings and the 6-1 Bills just lost its biggest Minnesota name. Kyler Murray will sit with a hamstring strain, and Carson Wentz will start in his place, coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday.

"After evaluating Kyler on Monday, getting some imagery and things, we did determine he does have a hamstring strain," O'Connell said, according to the team's site. "We don't believe it to be more than a week-to-week kind of thing right now, but for him, his movement skills and the way he plays the game, we do feel like we'd be putting him at risk of possibly turning this into a more significant injury than it is by trying to have him work through it here early on."

Murray had been listed with a sore hamstring after Minnesota's Week 8 loss to Detroit. He has started and finished the past five games since returning from a concussion that knocked him out of the season opener. Wentz rescued that Green Bay game and started the next week at Chicago; Minnesota won both. In two appearances this season he is 23 of 39 for 276 yards and three touchdowns, NFL.com reported.

Max Brosmer will back up Wentz on Monday. O'Connell said the team has "a ton of confidence" in Wentz, calling him "a steady presence." Wentz, speaking after Thursday's practice, said he feels "very comfortable" in the offense and wants cleaner drives against a Bills defense that will not give them away. "My goal is just to get a win," he said. "This position's judged by wins and losses."

The matchup is a rare early-season collision of two one-loss teams. Minnesota's defense ranks among the league's best in points and yards allowed and has covered for an offense that has ranked near the bottom in yards and scoring with Murray under center, per NFL.com. Whether Wentz can keep the Vikings rolling — and how long Murray stays week to week — will shape the rest of their November.

Sources: Minnesota Vikings and NFL.com.