Vikings start Wentz as McCarthy out with high ankle sprain

The Minnesota Vikings will again start veteran quarterback Carson Wentz on Sunday after rookie J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for a second straight game because of a high ankle sprain. McCarthy has not practiced since suffering the injury in Week 2 and was listed as a nonparticipant on Minnesota’s first injury report this week during preparations in England for Sunday’s neutral-site game in London.

Head coach Kevin OConnell said the team is optimistic McCarthy will be able to ramp up his rehab but stressed he will not be forced back before he is fully ready. "We want to be really smart and make sure we let that high ankle fully heal," OConnell said, adding that the staff hopes to get McCarthy into limited work, including scout-team reps, before allowing him to play in a game. The coaching staff has targeted the team’s Week 6 bye as a likely point to have McCarthy closer to full availability, with Week 7 identified as a realistic target for a return under game conditions.

McCarthy, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024, has shown flashes in his early starts this season — most notably accounting for three fourth-quarter touchdowns in his NFL debut — but has completed 58.5 percent of...