Smith anchors a thinning Vikings secondary amid injuries. His veteran presence supports a defense that could benefit from calmer coverage and smarter play after Jeff Okudah’s status remains uncertain. While not a heavy fantasy scorer, his IDP value could rise with volume and turnovers.

<p>Smith is inactive for the second straight game due to a personal health matter, forcing the Vikings into a reworked secondary. The absence could tilt the Falcons’ aerial attack toward alternate targets, increasing the importance of depth at safety and the potential for opportunistic plays from the rest of Minnesota’s defense.</p><p>In fantasy terms, Smith’s absence elevates the risk-reward profile of the Vikings’ back half, with Wilson and Jackson needing to step up and corners to tighten coverage against Atlanta’s passing game.</p>

Smith’s return-to-form effort continues as stamina builds; expect him to be a stabilizing presence in Minnesota’s secondary while managing reps for Week 2.

Smith’s return from a health matter brings veteran leadership and a potential conditioning boost, but the Vikings are fluid on readiness and haven’t placed him on IR, leaving fantasy managers to gauge practice reports and snap counts.

Harrison Smith discusses Minnesota's defensive identity, emphasizing the front seven, discipline in coverage, and the unit's recent improvement. His take frames fantasy implications for Vikings’ defense and indicators for opponents’ plans against running and passing games.