The circumstances for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson have gone from bad to worse as the Vikings will be down to their third-string quarterback in Week 13 at the Seattle Seahawks. Already without backup Carson Wentz (shoulder) for the season, starter J.J. McCarthy (concussion) will miss yet another game, leaving undrafted rookie Max Brosmer to make his first NFL start. The Vikings also could be without star left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee, foot) and have ruled out starting left guard Donovan Jackson (ankle). Against a Seattle defense allowing scoring drives at the second-best rate in the league, it's tough sledding even for one of the league's best receivers. Jefferson has performed with poor QB play before, but given the long odds, he should be considered more of a WR2 or high-end flex this week.
Nov 28, 2025 3:59 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson finished Sunday with four catches on six targets for 48 receiving yards in a 23-6 loss at Green Bay. The superstar receiver once again was hampered by a horrible offensive performance overall, as Minnesota gained 145 total yards as a team. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy finished 12-for-19 passing for 89 with two interceptions as the Vikings managed to run only 45 total plays. Jefferson still led the team in receiving, but that didn't say much on a day in which Minnesota gained four yards in the second half. Fantasy managers will have to hope the Vikings can turn the corner, and quickly, as the team travels to Seattle in Week 13.
Nov 23, 2025 4:11 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are going through a rough patch right now, but Justin Jefferson remains a WR1 candidate when the team travels to Green Bay in Week 12. The Vikings are averaging just 58 plays during their past three games with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, during which the offense has been a mess of drops, penalties, and bad throws. Through all of it, Jefferson still ranks 13th overall among PPR receivers, and he's still earned at least nine targets in seven straight games. Green Bay ranks ninth overall against half-PPR receivers, presenting a difficult matchup for an offense already struggling. But even as the Vikings appear committed to riding with McCarthy's ups and downs, Jefferson is still a superstar who should be in fantasy lineups come Sunday.
Nov 21, 2025 3:24 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings have been among the NFL's more disappointing teams in 2025, and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson said getting back to winning again begins with him. As first-time starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy has struggled, the Vikings have dropped to 4-6. Jefferson was visibly frustrated in a loss to Chicago on Sunday, but said that he aims to lead the turnaround. "As a team, as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there. I have to be headfirst, leading us into that direction of winning, of being where we need to be," Jefferson said, according to The Athletic. While the Vikings have struggled and Jefferson is having a slightly down year by his standards, he's still the No. 13 overall PPR receiver. With Minnesota looking at a favorable schedule in the fantasy playoffs, managers have good reason to hope for a few big weeks at the best possible time.
Nov 18, 2025 11:33 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is yet again a WR1 when the Vikings play host to the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The superstar has been quieter than normal during the past month as backup quarterback Carson Wentz and second-year starter J.J. McCarthy lead the charge for an up-and-down offense, but Jefferson still has been earning a ton of targets. McCarthy has targeted Jefferson 21 times in the past two weeks but only connected on 10, though the pair collaborated for a tide-turning touchdown in the first meeting against Chicago that sparked a fourth-quarter comeback. The Bears rank 24th against PPR receivers, offering a chance for Jefferson to break his cold streak. The Vikings likely will be erratic as they break in a 22-year-old QB, but the matchup and Jefferson's ability should have the superstar locked into lineups in all formats.
Nov 14, 2025 6:47 PM EST
Coming off a frustrating loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson vowed to improve following a rare quiet game. Jefferson was targeted 12 times, but caught only four for 37 yards. A number of factors led to Minnesota's struggles, most notably eight false start penalties that had the offense playing from behind most of the day. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the NFL's youngest starter at age 22, has been inconsistent, but the Vikings saw promise in two near-connections with Jefferson. On the first, McCarthy saw Baltimore's zero coverage and heaved a deep ball to Jefferson, who lost his footing with incidental contact, leading to an interception. The star receiver also nearly caught a touchdown on an accurate ball in traffic that would have been a tough catch, but he said he views it as his job to "make the 50-50 opportunity catches look 70-30," according to The Athletic. For fantasy managers, Jefferson is a must-start player every week, but the Vikings look like they're going to be erratic as they weather McCarthy's growing pains.
Nov 11, 2025 10:12 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is yet again a WR1 option when his team plays host to the Baltimore Ravens, who have allowed opposing teams to score on 48% of their drives, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. Baltimore ranks 23rd against PPR receivers this season and has allowed the seventh-most air yards on the season, though the Ravens have looked significantly improved during the past month, during which they've allowed their past three opponents an average of 13 points. Behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is playing for the first time after missing his entire rookie season and five games this year, the Vikings threw for only 143 yards last week in a win at Detroit. Even in a light week, Jefferson still drew nine targets and caught a touchdown, which should inspire some optimism as Minnesota sticks with McCarthy full-time. Though Minnesota figures to have some bumps in the road with a young quarterback, Jefferson is too good to be held in check for long stretches.
Nov 7, 2025 6:11 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings have struggled immensely in recent weeks, but wide receiver Justin Jefferson remains a clear WR1 with his team set to travel to Detroit in Week 9. Even though Detroit has had the better of the division matchup in recent years, Jefferson has tormented the Lions during his career. In just 10 games against Detroit, Jefferson has more than 1,200 yards, 72 catches, and four touchdowns. Detroit ranks 26th against half-PPR receivers this season, largely because it has surrendered 14 receiving touchdowns in seven games. Notably, Minnesota will bring back starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), but a second-to-last sack rate behind a beaten-up offensive line remains a major concern. The Lions will see the return of starting cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder), but Jefferson still should be starting in every format, as usual.
Oct 31, 2025 4:50 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught seven of his 11 targets for 74 yards during Thursday's Week 8 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Jefferson was heavily targeted by quarterback Carson Wentz, who made yet another start in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy (ankle). The star receiver had a relatively modest showing by his standards, finishing with fewer than 75 yards for the first time since Week 1. He remains Wentz's No. 1 target, but his upside is capped when the offense struggles to stay on the field. Jefferson will look to bounce back as a solid WR1 against the Detroit Lions in Week 9, especially if McCarthy can return from his five-game absence.
Oct 24, 2025 12:29 AM EST
Superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings has an outstanding matchup and should be viewed as a top-tier WR1 against the floundering Los Angeles Chargers defense in this week's Thursday Night Football game. The Chargers are giving up points on more than 46% of drives, which ranks 28th in the league, and were just ransacked by the Indianapolis Colts' pass-catchers, who piled up a whopping 288 yards in a Week 7 rout. Minnesota will be stuck starting backup quarterback Carson Wentz for another week, though the veteran QB is still putting up solid yardage numbers and has peppered Jefferson with double-digit targets three games in a row. Ranked as RotoBaller's No. 2 overall receiver heading into Week 8, managers should start Jefferson in every format.
Oct 22, 2025 9:59 PM EST
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings should once again be glued into starting lineups when his team takes on a Philadelphia Eagles team that has uncharacteristically struggled in 2025. The Eagles, who infamously passed on Jefferson to select Jalen Reagor, haven't been nearly as dominant as they were in their run to a Super Bowl last season. Philly is allowing points on more than 43% of opposing drives, which ranks 26th, and also ranks in the bottom 10 of average depth of target (29th), pressure percentage (27th), and sacks (25th). With Minnesota set to start backup quarterback Carson Wentz for at least one more week, getting the ball to Jefferson, who had 22 targets in the past two games, should be a priority again.
Oct 17, 2025 4:40 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are on a bye in Week 6, but their return to the field could have fantasy implications for wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has not played since Week 2, but the team is targeting Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles as his projected return. Jefferson drew 6.5 targets in two games with McCarthy compared to 9.7 with backup Carson Wentz, though Minnesota has been much more intentional about getting their star wideout the ball in the past two weeks, throwing his way a robust 22 times. Despite Minnesota facing tons of injury issues on the offensive line and both opponents surely game-planning for Jefferson to be heavily featured, he still put up 100-yard efforts in both games. Among fantasy receivers, Jefferson is about as QB-proof as there is, but McCarthy's return still will be a variable worth monitoring.
Oct 7, 2025 2:11 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson again showed why he's one of the best in football Sunday against Cleveland, going for seven catches and 123 yards in Minnesota's 21-17 comeback win in London. The All-Pro drew a game-best 11 targets and pulled down an excellent 21-yard catch on one of the NFL's top corners, Cleveland's Denzel Ward, to aid the Vikings' game-winning, 80-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Fantasy managers have to be encouraged by Jefferson's past two weeks, in which he drew 11 targets and surpassed 100 yards in both games. The beat-up Vikings will take their bye in Week 6 before likely seeing the return of starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) in Week 7.
Oct 5, 2025 1:21 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are going through it right now, but wide receiver Justin Jefferson still should be locked into starting lineups when his team plays the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. Due to a rash of injuries, the Vikings will play the game without their starters at quarterback, left guard, center, right tackle, and a running back who eclipsed 1,500 total yards last season. Even so, Jefferson is so involved -- he vacuumed in 10 catches for 126 yards last week -- that he remains a must-start fantasy option. Minnesota's best chance to win the game will be to get the ball to their All-Pro receiver early and often, a plan that should sound just fine to fantasy managers with Jefferson on the roster.
Oct 3, 2025 4:34 PM EST
With the Minnesota Vikings once again facing major issues on the offensive line in Week 5, the team is likely to craft a game plan similar to last week, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. From a fantasy perspective, that would be a good thing for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who drew a season-best 11 targets, 10 catches, and 126 receiving yards in the Vikings' loss against Pittsburgh. Minnesota will have to find a way to neutralize the Cleveland Browns' excellent defensive line without starting left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion), and starting right tackle Brian O'Neill (knee), and scripted targets to their best player would seem to be on menu once again.
Oct 2, 2025 10:37 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson should be viewed as a top-five option this week when taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland. The All-Pro put up a steady five catches for 75 yards a week ago in spite of the Vikings being ahead by so much in the second half against Cincinnati that they had little incentive to throw. With a more competitive game likely on tap this week, Jefferson turns his attention to a Steelers defense that has given up the seventh-most passing yards per game. Though Minnesota is playing with backup quarterback Carson Wentz, Jefferson has put up numbers with a variety of quarterbacks over the years, so his game-breaking talent should be locked into fantasy lineups, per usual.
Sep 26, 2025 4:53 PM EST
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings faces a plus matchup with a struggling Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 3, with the caveat that there are many variables at play for Minnesota. The superstar receiver will be catching passes from yet another new quarterback -- backup Carson Wentz will step in for the injured J.J. McCarthy (ankle) -- while the Minnesota offensive line will see a first-time starter at center and possibly a third-string left tackle depending on whether All-Pro Christian Darrisaw (knee) is able to return. Yet as awful as the Vikings have been for most of the season, failing to register 50 snaps in both games, Jefferson still managed seven catches, 125 yards, and a touchdown. Jefferson has made backups look great before, though, keeping him in the WR1 conversation despite the bad injury luck around him.
Sep 19, 2025 7:45 PM EST
Following a humbling loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson said the team is being patient with their new starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy. The superstar receiver still managed 81 yards on three catches, but the Vikings' offense has been mostly awful through two games. The second-year quarterback played in just his second NFL game on Sunday, which Jefferson noted after the loss, saying, "We're not expecting him to be perfect." McCarthy has struggled, though so have the rest of the Vikings, who allowed a whopping 16 pressures on Sunday and ran for only 78 yards. They'll look for a better showing in Week 3 against Cincinnati.
Sep 15, 2025 11:19 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson faces a friendly matchup on Sunday with breakout potential against the Atlanta Falcons. Even in a down week for the superstar receiver in the season-opening game, he still went for four catches, 44 yards, and a touchdown, and now he takes on a Falcons defense near the bottom of the pile against fantasy wide receivers. With quarterback J.J. McCarthy making his first home start and up against a better matchup than last week, the Vikings should see a natural boost to their offense as a whole. That generally means good circumstances for their best player.
Sep 12, 2025 5:26 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson had 44 receiving yards on four catches and a touchdown in a 27-24 win against the Bears. Jefferson earned a team-high seven targets, but was unable to get touches early in the game as quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggled. The offense started moving the ball better and sustained some drives in the second half. Jefferson caught a laser beam from McCarthy for a 13-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Jefferson uncharacteristically dropped a pretty well-placed ball from McCarthy on a deep over, although McCarthy was a tad late. There should be better days for Jefferson as he and McCarthy continue to build rapport and gain more reps together. He is still locked in as one of the three best wide receivers in fantasy football.
Sep 9, 2025 1:04 AM EST
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