Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Drake London

Monday, September 15, 11:19 AM

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.

Tuesday, September 16, 1:39 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London caught three of his four targets in Sunday's 22-6 win over the Vikings, totaling 49 yards receiving in the contest. With only four targets, it would seem he was not heavily involved, but no other pass catcher was targeted more than five times in a game where the team relied heavily on the run. While London's position as the No. 1 option in the passing attack is not in question, his average depth of target thus far in 2025 is something to keep an eye on. The former first-round draft pick held a 10.8 aDOT (average depth of target) in 2024 and an even higher 12.67 aDOT in the final three games where Michael Penix Jr. was under center. However, through two games in 2025, he owns just a 6.94 aDOT and 9.5 yards per reception. If that trend holds, it could be a challenge for the 24-year-old to get back to the 1000-yards receiving threshold this year. With a matchup against Carolina in Week 3, the Falcons may lean on the ground game again, which would again limit the upside of the receiving corps and, if shorter targets persist, put London further behind the eight ball.