Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will play in Saturday's preseason opener, head coach Kevin O'Connell said, the young passer's first on-field action since an injury ended his rookie year before it began.

O'Connell didn't say how many snaps McCarthy will get against the Houston Texans, but did indicate he likely won't see much preseason playing time beyond the first game.

"You'd love to play him as much as possible, but I think with those two days of joint practice, the guys that — the type of repetition that the other guys on the offense will get from a physicality and workload standpoint, we'll more than likely use those two days as our real days," O'Connell said.

The Vikings will welcome the New England Patriots to Eagan for their final two open practices on Aug. 13 and 14. O'Connell said that will likely take the place of any further preseason reps for McCarthy, but the plan could change.

"If we need to get a little more work, we will, and then we'll assess that final preseason game when it comes," he said.

It's common for starters to see limited preseason action, especially at the game's most important position. And with McCarthy's season-ending injury last year coming during a preseason game, it's probably prudent for the Vikings to be judicious with his snaps.

That will leave plenty of playing time for the other three quarterbacks on the roster: Sam Howell, Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer. O'Connell made it sound like he wants an extended look at Howell in particular.

"I think he's really flashed his arm talent," the coach said. "What I'm looking for is just consistency."

As he has all offseason, O'Connell espoused confidence in his first-year starter. Saturday's game will give fans a glimpse of how warranted that confidence is.

"I'm fired up about [McCarthy] and I," O'Connell said, "the dynamic we have, and how we're kind of both growing together on a daily basis, looking towards what this finished product of training camp looks like as we attack the season together."

The Vikings take on the Texans at 3 p.m. Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.