Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. will undergo surgery for a meniscus injury and is expected to miss at least the start of the season.

There is no timetable for Smith’s return, but this certainly puts a minor damper on what was looking like a breakout season for the third-year tight end. Tyler Conklin is next in line at the position until Smith returns. He’ll likely miss the opener against the Bengals, then we’ll keep an eye out for Week 2 at Arizona.

Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. is a popular breakout candidate this year and he’s living up to the hype in camp.

His routes have been sharp and his catch radius is impressive, according to the tweet. Another beat writer said Smith has been moving well in and out of breaks and creating mismatches. He's ranked 15th among out TEs and could be a solid TE2 option in leagues where you need TE depth.

In what might be Kyle Rudolph’s last season with the Vikings, the tight end will not be able to play in Week 17.

Minnesota announced on Tuesday that it placed Rudolph on IR. The Vikings still have Irv Smith Jr., Tyler Conklin and Hale Hentges at the tight end position, barring any of those three suffering injuries.

With Smith coming on as the team's top TE target, Rudolph may be out in 2021. Smith had a huge game on Christmas Day, posting a 6-53-2 line. For the season he has 28 catches for 335 yards and five TDs, but three of those TDs and 153 yards have come over the last three weeks.

Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. is questionable for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Matthew Coller of Purple Insider.

Kyle Rudolph is doubtful for Week 14, so it's either Smith or...Tyler Conklin at tight end for Minnesota.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. returned to practice on Thursday.

Smith has been sidelined since Week 11 with a back injury but could be in line for a major role in Week 14. Kyle Rudolph is dealing with a foot issue that has kept him out of practice for the last two days, and will likely be ruled out if he cannot take the practice field tomorrow. Vikings fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief, as the team had Tyler Conklin taking first-team reps on Wednesday. Smith's official participation level today and tomorrow should give us a better indication of what his Week 14 designation (if any) may be.

Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. will not play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Related Player: Kyle Rudolph

It's a shame that Smith finally showed signs of progress on offense only to get hurt. Kyle Rudolph should see another healthy workload against one of the worst defenses in the league.