On Monday afternoon, the Vikings were still evaluating the extent of receiver Justin Jefferson‘s right hamstring strain suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Chiefs. But head coach Kevin O’Connell said they were already bracing for having to “protect him from himself” in ensuring Jefferson doesn’t return until he’s fully healthy.

O’Connell acknowledged Jefferson would likely be getting a second opinion outside TCO Performance Center before determining a timeline to return. Jefferson’s status for Sunday’s game in Chicago remains unknown, but O’Connell preached caution.

“There will probably be a couple different opinions on it,” O’Connell said Monday. “But we got to get the MRI of it and take a look and find out exactly what it is, where it is, if there’s any other factors that go into it, and determine what the best decision is for him to get back to 100% as fast as possible.”

“But he’s down today,” the coach added. “He obviously is one of the most ultra competitors I’ve ever met. Shoot, he was trying to go back into the game as it was [Sunday]. So, we’re going to have to medically make a good decision and help kind of almost protect him from himself a little bit in a way where we got to take care of him and get him back to 100%.”

Jefferson finished Sunday with three catches for 28 yards. Without Jefferson, rookie Jordan Addison stepped into a larger role and led the team with six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. O’Connell thought Addison could’ve had more.

“I’m very confident in that group,” O’Connell said. “Jordan had a huge game [Sunday]. Could’ve been even bigger, quite honestly there were some [opportunities] out there and he’ll continue to thrive.”

Addison, 21, isn’t shying away from a possibly larger role.

“This is my time, where I can step up and show everybody in the stadium that I am that guy, too,” he said.

Cornerback Akayleb Evans has a knee contusion that limited him to 50% playing time against the Chiefs. O’Connell said he hopes Evans can practice this week. Safety Lewis Cine is expected to return from a two-game absence due to a hamstring strain.

O’Connell said the Vikings are still assessing whether to make a long-term roster move with quarterback Nick Mullens, who was held out Sunday due to lower back tightness. If Mullens is placed on injured reserve, he’d miss at least four games. Rookie quarterback Jaren Hall, a fifth-round pick, was the backup against Kansas City.

Ingram ‘handled himself well’

Right guard Ed Ingram evaded a lineup change for the second straight week. Veteran guard Dalton Risner has played 11 snaps — all blocking for field goal and extra point attempts — since signing a one-year deal last month. Ingram has played all 324 snaps through five games. The offensive line protected well in front of quarterback Kirk Cousins, who still took 12 hits from Chiefs coordinator Steve Spagnuolo‘s overload blitzes.

“[Ingram] has done a really good job,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “He can do some things physically that not a lot of people in the world can do. I think he handled himself really well against Chris Jones [on Sunday] and I think he’s only going to continue to get better.”

Wanted: A takeaway

The Vikings defense feels like it’s this close to making a game-changing play, like when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ third-and-18 pass sailed just over the fingertips of safety Camryn Bynum for a 33-yard completion. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. said each defender is working toward more takeaways after rookie cornerback Mekhi Blackmon also nearly came down with an interception Sunday. The Vikings’ three takeaways rank 27th leaguewide.

“He has to go make that play,” Murphy said, “and I know he can, and I think we all can as a group. We just have to figure it out and go get it done.”

Etc.

• Running back Alexander Mattison played a season-low 51% of the snaps against Kansas City. Cam Akers maintained the same role, but coaches deployed fullback C.J. Ham as a pass blocker. Ham, who played 25% of the snaps, was blocking on a fourth-down throw to Addison. On the next play, Mattison returned and caught a nine-yard touchdown.