Justin Jefferson
Wide Receiver #18
Justin Jefferson News
Justin Jefferson Could Play in Week 4
Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) sprained his ankle in the team's Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but there is a chance that he will not miss any time and start in Week 4 against the visiting Miami Dolphins this Sunday, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. Jefferson's MRI results were encouraging on Monday, with head coach Kevin O'Connell saying that he "avoided anything long-term." The 27-year-old caught just two passes for 32 yards before leaving Sunday's contest, but fantasy managers have to be happy with the fact that he might not miss any time at all. The Vikings were close to bringing Jefferson back into Sunday's contest a "couple of times," which shows that his ankle injury was pretty minor. The four-time Pro Bowler has not had time to gel with quarterback Kyler Murray so far through three weeks, but they could have a great matchup to take advantage of this weekend against Miami. Jefferson is a must-start WR1 in fantasy if he can play in Week 4.
Sep 28, 2026 3:41 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Avoids Long-Term Ankle Injury
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) suffered a left-ankle sprain in Sunday's 23-16 win over Tampa Bay, but he appears to have avoided a long-term absence. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday that Jefferson's imaging was encouraging and there is a chance he plays Sunday against Miami. Jefferson hurt the ankle on the final play of Minnesota's opening drive. He walked off under his own power, spent time in the medical tent, and later returned to the sideline, but he never got back into the game and was ruled out in the third quarter. Jefferson finished with two catches for 32 yards. His Week 4 status is still uncertain, but the early news is encouraging.
Sep 28, 2026 11:48 AM EST
Justin Jefferson's Injury Doesn't Sound Too Serious
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) was forced to leave during the first half of Sunday's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Jefferson got close to returning to the game multiple times, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. The Vikings are going to continue to evaluate Jefferson, but it doesn't sound like his ankle injury is too serious. He finished Sunday's game with two receptions on two targets for 32 yards. The Vikings have a home matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. Fantasy managers should stay tuned to see if Jefferson will be available for that game.
Sep 27, 2026 4:27 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Ruled Out on Sunday with Ankle Injury
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's contest due to an ankle injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The star wideout sustained this injury in the first half and will now be sidelined for the remainder of the contest. Before exiting, the 27-year-old brought in both of his targets for 32 yards from Kyler Murray. Managers should watch his status after the contest, as the team will likely provide an update. For the remainder of the game, Jordan Addison should operate as the WR1 while Jauan Jennings slides into the No. 2 role.
Sep 27, 2026 2:15 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Questionable to Return Against Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team reported via the X platform. The veteran wideout caught both of his targets and registered 32 yards before leaving Sunday's game. The former All-Pro was viewed as a top fantasy performer heading into Week 3 against a struggling Buccaneers defense. T.J. Hockenson had the only other reception for Minnesota, and Tai Felton missed his one target. Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings are both active for the Vikings.
Sep 27, 2026 12:55 PM EST
Struggling Bucs Defense Up Next For Justin Jefferson
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson has one of the top matchups in fantasy football this week as the Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. The former All-Pro saw a modest performance last week as the Vikings played it safe in horrible weather conditions in Chicago, though he'll have better circumstances this week. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion) is back in the lineup in time to face a Buccaneers defense that has struggled immensely through two weeks: Tampa has allowed opponents to score on more than half of their possessions and complete 75.4% of passes, which is worse than every team except Miami. The Bucs also rank in the bottom five in pressure percentage, air yards allowed, and missed tackles. As RotoBaller's No. 4 receiver this week, Jefferson could have week-winning potential if Murray is sharp in his return from injury.
Sep 25, 2026 11:20 AM EST
Wet Weather Keeps Lid On Justin Jefferson, Vikings Pass Game
Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson led all pass catchers Sunday at Chicago by accumulating 55 yards on three catches, mostly a byproduct of a run-first game script during poor weather conditions in the upper Midwest. Minnesota held on to win 9-3, though neither side scored a touchdown or threw for 200 yards. That meant quiet offensive days for everyone, including Jefferson, who still led the team with six targets despite the Vikings throwing only 20 times. On the positive side for fantasy managers, Minnesota is likely to see the return of quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion) in Week 3 at Tampa, which should provide more opportunities in the passing game.
Sep 20, 2026 12:43 PM EST
Enticing Matchup For Justin Jefferson In Week 2
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson is once again a WR1 option as the Minnesota Vikings prepare to take on the struggling Chicago Bears defense. The superstar receiver's stat line last week (eight catches, 92 yards, and two touchdowns) didn't show any signs of struggle despite the Vikings playing the majority of the game without starting quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion). The Vikings already ruled out Murray this week in favor of backup Carson Wentz, with whom Jefferson connected for both of his touchdowns in the comeback victory against Green Bay. Now, however, the LSU alum faces a Bears defense that allowed 156 yards after the catch last week and ranks 29th in air yards allowed. With running back Jordan Mason (thumb) on injured reserve, Jefferson surely will be an integral part of the Minnesota game plan. He should be locked into lineups in all formats.
Sep 18, 2026 12:42 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Goes Off In Vikings' Comeback Against Packers
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson helped lead the charge in Minnesota's second-half barrage of Green Bay, logging eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a game-clinching leap to the pylon for a score in the fourth quarter. The superstar receiver performed well despite yet another quarterback change -- Kyler Murray (head) played fewer than 10 minutes before an illegal hit knocked him out of the game -- connecting with backup Carson Wentz for both scores and a two-point conversion as the Vikings rallied for 29 unanswered points to win 39-22. Fantasy managers who drafted Jefferson had to be encouraged to see the receiver look like himself again, drawing nine targets and not missing a beat when Wentz came into the game. The Vikings' unending quarterback drama is worth monitoring, but Jefferson should have a favorable matchup against Chicago in Week 2 no matter who's throwing the ball.
Sep 13, 2026 5:14 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Back To Previous Production In Week 1?
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is a clear WR1, as usual, when his team takes on the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the NFL season. The former All-Pro's 2025 season was a major letdown, albeit one that still included 1,000 yards receiving despite the Vikings bungling their quarterback room. Jefferson's fantasy value slipped as a result -- many managers saw him drop to the end of the first round or even into the second -- but he's in the prime of his career and playing on a revamped offense that now includes Kyler Murray at quarterback. Coming off a career-low two touchdowns, the former LSU standout looks primed for a bounceback season. His past four meetings against Green Bay have averaged 6.5 catches and 82 yards, presenting a decent matchup to start 2026 on the right foot. Jefferson is RotoBaller's No. 9 wide receiver in Week 1, making him a must-start in all formats.
Sep 11, 2026 2:24 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Expected to Benefit From Improved Quarterback Play
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is expected to have improved quarterback play this season after Kyler Murray was named the team's Week 1 starter. Jefferson endured a revolving quarterback carousel of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer last year, making it impossible for him to reach his full potential in fantasy football. Prior to last year, the only time Jefferson had finished lower than WR6 in fantasy football was the season he missed seven games. However, that trend changed in 2025 as he was healthy for all 17 games but still fell to WR21. The poor quarterback play resulted in him catching 84 passes for 1,048 yards and just two touchdowns. Murray may not be the long-term answer in Minnesota, but he should at least be an upgrade over last year's quarterbacks while helping Jefferson get back into the top-10 receiver range for fantasy football. As it stands, Jefferson ranks as RotoBaller's WR6 in redraft leagues. He is consistently being drafted at the one/two turn in fantasy leagues, which makes him the sixth receiver off the board.
Sep 4, 2026 6:15 AM EST
Justin Jefferson's Upside Remains Capped by Quarterback Situation
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may have trouble reaching his ceiling once again in 2026. Jefferson went from the WR2 in 2024 to the WR21 in 2025, with the main difference being that he was catching passes from a mix of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. This upcoming season, Jefferson will be on the receiving end of passes from Kyler Murray. While the two have demonstrated a decent rapport this preseason, we're a bit concerned about what will happen when Murray starts to face defenders in a game environment. Both Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson were somewhat quiet when they had Murray as their quarterback, so we can't quite guarantee that the ex-Cardinal will be an upgrade over McCarthy. At the very least, though, it's a fresh look for an offense that wants to return to its pre-2025 form. Jefferson is currently the WR6 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, which indicates that the rankings experts are expecting him to bounce back in a huge way. It seems like most of the fantasy football community would agree, as Jefferson currently has an ADP of 12.4 (WR6).
Aug 29, 2026 8:57 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Impressed With his New QB
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson always knew about quarterback Kyler Murray's athleticism, but he told The Athletic that he has come away impressed with his new QB's arm talent. "But his throwing ability is also something that has really, really surprised me. While he was in Arizona, I didn't really keep track and pay attention to his arm talent. And seeing the different type of throws he's making, where he's throwing the ball, it's been really, really surprising me," Jefferson said. The 27-year-old All-Pro wideout will be working with a new signal-caller for the fourth straight season, but Murray arguably has the most talent at the position, and he and Jefferson have been clicking and building chemistry all offseason. Jefferson had a down year in 2025, but he still managed 84 receptions for 1,048 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games played. Murray should give Jefferson and the rest of Minnesota's offense more stability, and he clearly has the arm strength to hit the four-time Pro Bowler deep down the field. In his seventh NFL season, Jefferson has the potential to finish as the overall WR1 in 2026 if everything goes right.
Aug 24, 2026 1:34 PM EST
Justin Jefferson's Rapport With New QB "Seems to be Growing"
Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback Kyler Murray had another crisp day of training camp practice on Wednesday that included a number of connections with top wide receiver Justin Jefferson, according to Vikings beat writer Will Ragatz. "Their rapport seems to be growing," Ragatz wrote. Jefferson is no stranger to working with a lot of different signal-callers during his six years in the NFL -- this will be the fourth different QB he's worked with for the fourth straight season. The 27-year-old former 22nd overall pick from LSU has produced with all of the different QBs in Minnesota, recording a 1,000-yard season in all six of his seasons to this point, including a whopping 42 touchdown receptions in 94 regular-season games. Jefferson had a career-low 1,048 receiving yards and only two touchdowns in 17 starts a year ago, but the four-time Pro Bowler should be primed for a bounce-back in 2026 with Murray, who might be the most talented all-around QB he's worked with, if he can stay healthy. Jefferson is a no-brainer top-10 fantasy WR and is ranked No. 6 at his position at RotoBaller.
Aug 12, 2026 7:42 PM EST
Justin Jefferson Building Chemistry With Both QBs in Training Camp
Minnesota Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson has remained neutral when it comes to the team's competition at quarterback this summer in training camp, but he's doing his best to gain chemistry with both Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy in the meantime, according to Lindsey Young of Vikings.com. "It's all on who comes to practice and who's the better guy," Jefferson said. "And at this point, it's still early in training camp for any of us to understand or know who's the No. 1 guy. It's just all about pouring into both of them and making sure that whoever [that guy is], at the end of the day we're not starting over or starting fresh. We're just going right from where we left off in camp and what we've been doing every single day." There's no clear leader in the competition yet, but Jefferson did say that Murray is "definitely getting more comfortable" with head coach Kevin O'Connell's scheme. Jefferson had his sixth straight 1,000-yard season in 2025, but he also scored only twice in 17 games with poor QB play in Minnesota. He's still an easy top-10 fantasy WR, but Murray winning the job under center probably gives Jefferson the higher overall ceiling for a big bounce-back in 2026.
Aug 1, 2026 8:38 AM EST
Justin Jefferson's Down Year Gives Dynasty Contenders an Opening
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson did not suddenly stop being an elite dynasty asset because 2025 went sideways. The touchdowns vanished. He scored only twice, and Minnesota cycled through J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer while Jefferson finished with 84 catches for 1,048 yards on 141 targets. It was his worst full season, yet he still cleared 1,000 yards for the sixth time in six years. One season earlier, he posted 103 receptions, 1,533 yards, and 10 scores. The quarterback question remains, with McCarthy and Kyler Murray headed for a camp battle, while Jauan Jennings joins Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in a deeper group of pass-catchers. None of that changes the larger point. Jefferson turned 27 in June, remains under contract through 2028, and sits fourth in RotoBaller's dynasty wide receiver rankings. He will cost plenty. For a contender with depth to spare, though, this is the rare moment to see whether a frustrated manager will move him. Rebuilders should hold unless the return includes another cornerstone asset.
Jul 16, 2026 12:07 PM EST
Is Justin Jefferson Still a Dynasty Asset to Build Around?
As Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson struggled through the 2025 season, tied to some of the league's poorest quarterback play, he fell as low as WR7 in consensus dynasty rankings. Still managing to maintain fringe top-five status while finishing the year as WR25 is a testament to Jefferson's greatness, and dynasty managers who either held through the lows or were able to acquire him on even a partial discount should feel a sense of optimism. While new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray has a checkered history of supporting number one receivers, he represents a massive improvement over what Minnesota got out of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer in 2025. While playing his first five years with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, two quarterbacks capable of simply keeping an offense on track, Jefferson finished no lower than WR5 across four healthy seasons, twice gracing the top two and leaving dynasty managers to split hairs about whether he or Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase was more worthy of the overall WR1 ranking. With an influx of talent at wide receiver in recent years, Jefferson currently sits as RotoBaller's dynasty WR5, but the 27-year-old former Offensive Player of the Year remains one of the true cornerstones of the position and should be treated as a priority trade target in any leagues where he is no longer viewed as such.
Jun 24, 2026 5:50 AM EST
Justin Jefferson an Obvious Bounce-Back Candidate
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson averaged more than 6.4 catches and 96.5 yards per game through his first five seasons in the league, but those numbers took a seismic hit in 2025. His 84 receptions were his fewest in any full season, while his 1,048 receiving yards and two touchdowns also marked career lows. With some of the league's worst quarterback play affecting all of Minnesota's pass catchers, dynasty managers who bought the dip on Jefferson could be rewarded as early as 2026. The Vikings signed former first overall pick Kyler Murray to a one-year deal this offseason, and by all accounts, he has acclimated quickly to a new offense and has an early but notable edge over 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota's quarterback competition. While Murray's history of supporting a number one receiver is not substantial, he did help DeAndre Hopkins finish as the WR7 in their first season together. With him already playing for his next contract, he would be wise to lean on one of the best receivers in the world. Yet to turn 27, Jefferson is RotoBaller's dynasty WR4, and while he can no longer be acquired on a discount, he's at least worth inquiring about while last season's disappointment is still fresh in the minds of some.
May 31, 2026 5:13 AM EST
Justin Jefferson's Buy Window is Closing Fast
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is coming off the worst season of his six-year career. He hit single-season yardage and touchdown lows, while his 4.9 receptions per game were approximately a catch and a half below his career average. And yet, Jefferson is still RotoBaller's dynasty WR4, largely because his 2025 struggles can be almost entirely explained away by some of the worst quarterback play in the league. Vikings quarterbacks threw for 3,176 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 2025, bottom-four numbers across the board. While Minnesota may not have found a long-term solution at the position, they've at least brought in a Band-Aid for 2026, signing Cardinals castoff Kyler Murray to a one-year deal at the start of free agency. While Murray has had his own struggles of late, he can stand on a proven record of supporting a true number one receiver, peppering DeAndre Hopkins with over 150 targets in their first season together, en route to a WR7 finish in 2020. Even if a clear path out of the darkness wasn't evident at the time, Jefferson was one of the smartest buy-lows of the 2025 season, and at just 26 years old, his cost to acquire may still be suppressed enough to make him a worthwhile buy before the new season starts and he reminds the league of what he's capable.
Apr 22, 2026 5:50 AM EST
Justin Jefferson Poised to Re-Emerge as an Elite Dynasty Wide Receiver in 2026
Since entering the league in 2020, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has established himself as one of the truly elite players in the NFL at his position. However, the 26-year-old battled through a down year by his own lofty standards in 2025, recording 84 receptions for 1,048 yards and just two touchdowns on 141 targets across 17 games. Most of Jefferson's struggles can be chalked up to poor quarterback play in Minnesota, as the team spent most of the year with J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz as its primary signal-callers. While McCarthy could still be in the mix in 2026, the Vikings signed former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray over the offseason. Murray has had his own issues in recent years, but he still brings a much higher level of baseline production and should at least stabilize the Minnesota passing game. As long as Jefferson stays healthy, he should re-emerge as a clear fantasy WR1 in 2026 and beyond. In dynasty formats, now may be the only chance for managers to try and buy low on the four-time All-Pro and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year.
Apr 1, 2026 7:58 AM EST
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