Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Stellar performance to end season
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Jefferson brought in 12 of 14 targets for 192 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for minus-12 yards in the Vikings' 30-20 loss the Lions on Sunday.
The Vikings were eliminated from postseason contention with the loss, but Jefferson certainly finished off the season in grand fashion. The ultra-talented wideout terrorized the Lions secondary throughout the afternoon, comfortably leading Minnesota in receptions, receiving yards and targets while also recording a nifty 38-yard touchdown grab. Jefferson's totals were also season highs across the board, and with the prolific afternoon, he finishes the season with 1,074 receiving yards in only 10 games despite having played with four different quarterbacks.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Poor QB play affects line
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Jefferson finished with five receptions on 10 targets for 59 yards in Sunday's 33-10 loss to the Packers.
The Vikings started Jaren Hall at quarterback against the Packers in a desperate attempt to save the team's fleeting playoff hopes. The move backfired after the rookie turned the ball over twice before halftime, prompting a switch back to Nick Mullens in the second half. Jefferson's pedestrian fantasy line was the result of the Vikings' debacle at the QB position following Kirk Cousins' (Achilles) season-ending injury. The star wideout did see 10 targets for the third week in a row while pacing his club in receptions and yards, but the only touchdown produced from either quarterback went to tight end Johnny Mundt. After the game head coach Kevin O'Connell did not comment on who his starting quarterback would be next week, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. While neither of Sunday's options are ideal when it comes to maximizing Jefferson's immense talent, it is worth noting that Mullens was the starter in the Week 16 loss to Detroit when the wideout went off for 141 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings will be facing those very same Lions in Week 18 to close out the 2023 regular season.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Goes off for 141 yards plus score
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Jefferson corralled six of 10 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Lions.
Jefferson put it all together in his third game back from injured reserve, posting a game-high 141 yards while catching his first touchdown since returning from the seven-game layoff. The superstar wideout also registered 10 targets for the second week in a row. That number could inflate in the coming weeks if either of T.J. Hockenson (knee) or Jordan Addison (ankle) is forced to miss time after both Vikings players left Sunday's contest with lower-body injuries. Jefferson should remain the focal point of Minnesota's offensive attack next Sunday in a home matchup against Green Bay on New Year's Eve.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Suiting up Saturday
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Jefferson (chest) is listed as active for Saturday's game at Cincinnati.
This past Sunday against the Raiders, the Vikings' star wideout was able to return from a seven-game absence due a strained right hamstring; however, a chest injury forced Jefferson out of Week 14 action after just 13 snaps on offense. Following a precautionary trip to a hospital in Las Vegas that revealed no serious injury issues, Jefferson was deemed a limited practice participant both Tuesday and Wednesday before being listed as a full participant Thursday and then listed questionable for Saturday's contest. Now that his availability versus Cincinnati has been confirmed, Jefferson will have an opportunity to work as a key passing target for starting QB Nick Mullens, with Kevin Seifert of ESPN having relayed earlier this week that Jefferson expects to see his usual number of reps Saturday alongside fellow WRs Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn.
Jefferson (chest) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
In his return from a seven-game absence this past Sunday at Las Vegas, Jefferson lasted just 13 offensive snaps before taking a big hit from Raiders safety Marcus Epps in the first half. Jefferson didn't return to the game, and after being taken to a local hospital to have his chest injury evaluated further, he was able to travel with his teammates back to Minnesota following the 3-0 victory. On Monday, head coach Kevin O'Connell called Jefferson "day-to-day," according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, and the wide receiver followed up Tuesday's limited listing on the Vikings' first Week 15 injury report with a capped session one day later. Jefferson even told Seifert on Wednesday that he expects to log his typical workload Saturday at Cincinnati, but the team may still tag him with a designation ahead of that contest following the release of Thursday's practice report.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Limited Tuesday
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Jefferson (chest) was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's practice estimate.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell labeled Jefferson as day-to-day after the receiver exited Sunday's 3-0 win over the Raiders with a chest injury, and it's encouraging news that he wasn't estimated as a non-participant. More clarity on Jefferson's status for Saturday's game against the Bengals will come as the week progresses, but if the wideout does play, he'll be on the receiving end of passes from quarterback Nick Mullens, who has been named the Vikings' Week 15 starter.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Deemed day-to-day by coach
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Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell labeled Jefferson (chest) as day-to-day Monday, adding that Jefferson has a "good chance" to play Saturday against the Bengals, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Jefferson's participation in practice this week will bear monitoring, but O'Connell's comments are the latest bit of encouraging news regarding the chest injury the wideout suffered in Sunday's 3-0 win over the Raiders. Though Jefferson was taken to the hospital as a precaution, he traveled home with the team and may avoid missing any further action. O'Connell didn't name a starting quarterback for Saturday's game, so if Jefferson plays, it remains to be seen whether Nick Mullens or Joshua Dobbs will be throwing him the ball.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Avoids severe injury
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Coach Kevin O'Connell said after Sunday's 3-0 win over the Raiders that Jefferson (chest), who was forced out of the contest in the first half, avoided a serious injury, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.
O'Connell said, "It looks like [Jefferson] avoided any significant thing there," but that it remains to be seen whether the star wideout will be available Week 15 versus the Bengals. Sunday marked Jefferson's first game back from IR due to a hamstring injury suffered Week 5, but a hit from Raiders safety Marcus Epps resulted in him being taken to the hospital as a precaution. While Jefferson was able to travel home with the team and has been cleared of any serious internal injuries, his status now needs to be closely monitored until Minnesota provides a clear timetable for his recovery.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Traveling home with team
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Jefferson (chest) has been released from the hospital and will travel home with the Vikings on Sunday, per coach Kevin O'Connell, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports.
Jefferson was taken to the hospital as a precaution after exiting in the first half of Sunday's 3-0 win over the Raiders due to what O'Connell described as an internal chest injury. The star wide receiver had been on injured reserve since Week 5 due to a hamstring injury, and while it's encouraging that Jefferson will fly home with the team, he could be in danger of missing additional action due to this new injury.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Off injury report, will play Sunday
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Jefferson (hamstring) has been removed from the Vikings' injury report and will face no restrictions in his return to game action Sunday versus the Raiders, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
After practicing in a limited fashion for three straight weeks, Jefferson was activated from injured reserve during the Vikings' Week 13 bye, so the standout receiver was fully expected to return to the lineup in Week 14. Jefferson cleared up any lingering concern about the health of his hamstring by turning in a trio of full practices this week, setting him up to play his usual 90-plus-percent snap share this Sunday. For just the second game in his career, however, Jefferson will be catching passes from someone other Kirk Cousins, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8. The Vikings are electing to stick with Joshua Dobbs as their starting quarterback coming out of their bye week, though the trade-deadline pickup may be on a short leash after throwing four interceptions in Minnesota's 12-10 loss to the Bears in Week 12.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Off IR, should play after bye week
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The Vikings reinstated Jefferson (hamstring) from injured reserve Tuesday.
Jefferson was designated for return from IR on Nov. 8 after he missed the required four games due to a right hamstring strain, but he then proceeded to miss the Vikings' ensuing three contests. According to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, head coach Kevin O'Connell indicated that the star wideout was close to playing Monday, but with a bye on tap in Week 13, the Vikings ultimately erred on the side of caution. Since Jefferson's evaluation window was set to close Tuesday, the Vikings added him back to the 53-man roster with the expectation that he will be ready to play Dec. 10 against the Raiders. Assuming Jefferson is cleared for that contest, he'll be catching passes from someone other than Kirk Cousins (Achilles) for only the second game of his four-year career. Joshua Dobbs has started the Vikings' last three games but threw four interceptions in Monday's loss to the Bears, and O'Connell noted that he's taking the bye week to re-evaluate the quarterback situation. If Dobbs is removed from the starting role, veteran Nick Mullens or rookie Jaren Hall would be the candidates to step in as the new signal-caller.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Ruled out for Week 12
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Jefferson (hamstring) has been downgraded to out for Monday's game against the Bears.
Jefferson officially remains on injured reserve and will look to make his return Week 14 against the Raiders following Minnesota's Week 13 bye. The Vikings will likely lean on the trio of Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn and slot man Brandon Powell to serve as their main options at receiver versus Chicago.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Not to be activated vs. Bears
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The Vikings aren't expected to activate Jefferson (hamstring) from injured reserve for Monday's game against Chicago, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The Vikings will continue to take a cautious approach to the star wide receiver's recovery, with a bye week coming up after Monday's contest. Jefferson will wind up missing his seventh consecutive game, though the expectation is that he will resume practicing fully after the bye and be 100 percent healthy for a Week 14 road game in Las Vegas. Assuming Jefferson isn't activated from IR ahead of Monday's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline to do so, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn and T.J. Hockenson will be in line to work as quarterback Joshua Dobbs' top pass catchers this week.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Remains limited in practice
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Jefferson (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Friday and said he's not sure if he will play Monday against the Bears, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Jefferson said his recovery is going well and noted that he's been clocked at top speeds during practice, but he also reiterated that he and the team are on the same page about taking a cautious approach. He's been listed as limited for every practice since the Vikings designated him Nov. 8 to return from injured reserve -- a move that opened a three-week window to activate Jefferson to the roster. The window closes a few days after Minnesota's Week 12 contest, so any transaction returning Jefferson to the roster in the upcoming days would suggest he's expected to play Monday night.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Stays limited at practice
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Jefferson (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
Jefferson continues to log capped sessions since the Vikings designated him for return from injured reserve last Wednesday. After coach Kevin O'Connell told Alec Lewis of The Athletic this Wednesday that Jefferson was slated to up his practice reps, the wide receiver himself said one day later that his main focus is increasing the endurance in his recovering right hamstring, per Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Just making sure that after work, I'm not too sore and achy," Jefferson added. He also mentioned to Goessling that he's the "person who's gonna make the decision" regarding his return. Considering where he stands in the middle of Week 11 prep, Jefferson seems like a coin flip to be available Sunday at Denver, but the Vikings will have to activate him from IR on Saturday afternoon in order for him to have a chance to play this weekend.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Not cleared for Sunday
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Jefferson (hamstring) wasn't activated from injured reserve Saturday and won't be available for Sunday's game against the Saints, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell tipped his hand about Jefferson's status earlier this week, when he suggested it would be "a little aggressive" for the receiver to play Week 10 when first eligible to return from IR. Though Jefferson was able to practice in a limited fashion this week and had been listed as questionable heading into the weekend, he'll ultimately miss his fifth consecutive game. Jordan Addison and Brandon Powell will likely play prominent roles Sunday, especially if wideout K.J. Osborn (concussion) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (ribs) are unable to suit up. Jefferson's next chance to play will come Week 11 against the Broncos on Nov. 19.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Status unclear for Week 10
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Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that the Vikings are still determining whether to designate Jefferson (hamstring) for return from injured reserve this week, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
After missing the required four games while on IR, Jefferson is eligible to resume practicing this week, but the team hasn't been clear with its plans, and it seems as though he's still being evaluated by the medical staff. Whenever Jefferson is available, he would provide a boost for the Minnesota offense that no longer has Kirk Cousins (Achilles) at quarterback, but the star wideout also is entering the final year of his contract in 2024, which may prompt both player and team to exercise caution in any return with the aim of avoiding a setback. More information about Jefferson's status could be known Wednesday, when the Vikings hold their first Week 10 practice in advance of Sunday's game against the Saints.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Still being evaluated
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Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Jefferson is still going through the evaluation process on the right hamstring strain he suffered in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Chiefs, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
Jefferson went down early in the fourth quarter versus Kansas City and was unable to return, finishing the day with three catches for 28 scoreless yards on six targets. If Jefferson needs to miss time, Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn are going to have to step up into expanded roles at receiver, while tight end T.J. Hockenson would become the favorite to pace Minnesota in targets. The Vikings return to action Week 6 with a matchup Sunday against the Bears.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Catches two touchdowns
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Jefferson caught six of nine targets for 85 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 21-13 win over the Panthers.
Jefferson led Minnesota in all major receiving categories, helping the team clinch its first victory of the season. The star wideout first went uncovered for a four-yard touchdown during the second quarter, then made an impressive jump-ball reception for a 30-yard score to end the third. Although his streak of three 145-plus-yard games was snapped, Jefferson continued his spectacular start to the campaign with Sunday's pair of end-zone trips.
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Vikings' Justin Jefferson: Another massive output Thursday
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Jefferson brought in 11 of 13 targets for 159 yards in the Vikings' 34-28 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night. He also lost a fumble.
Jefferson finished with game-high reception, receiving yardage and target totals by a wide margin, putting together his second massive stat line in a span of four days. The Pro Bowl wideout wasn't on the receiving end of any of Kirk Cousins' four touchdown passes, however, although his final catch of the night, a 20-yard grab with 1:41 remaining, did get the ball down to the Eagles' five-yard line to set up a T.J. Hockenson scoring grab. Jefferson already has a 20-309 line through two games and now gets some extra down time before a Week 3 home matchup against the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 24.
