Vikings Top Receiver Rice To Miss Half Of Season

By Justin Worsley

If Brett Favre is hoping to have another successful year in Minnesota, he will have to do so without his favorite target.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has reported that wide receiver Sidney Rice had hip surgery on Monday, a move that could sideline him for the first half of the season.

Rice was Favre's prime target last season, finishing second in the NFL with 1,312 receiving yards off of 83 receptions and eight touchdowns. Last year, Rice was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Rice isn't the first receiver injured this preseason on the Vikings roster. Percy Harvin, the 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year, has missed most of training camp due to migraines.

For the time being, a familiar face to Favre has been signed to take Rice's place. The Vikings announced on Tuesday that they have signed wide receiver Javon Walker. Walker played with Favre when both were on the Green Bay Packers between 2002-05.

Only two other wide receivers, Bernard Berrian and Greg Lewis, were on the roster last season. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, who caught 11 touchdown passes last season, alos returns.