Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Malik Nabers

Friday, December 26, 10:45 AM

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson finished Thursday's 23-10 victory against the Detroit Lions with four catches on five targets for 30 yards, a modest output despite the Vikings' inability to do much of anything in the passing game. Playing without starter J.J. McCarthy (hand) and already missing backup Carson Wentz (shoulder) for the season, the Vikings turned over the keys to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, which went as expected. Brosmer threw for 51 yards and lost 48 yards to sacks, leading to just three net passing yards. A heroic performance from the Minnesota defense, which forced a whopping six turnovers, gave the offense a chance, and two rushing touchdowns were just enough. For managers rostering Jefferson, however, it was yet another frustrating outing limited by the offense around him. Of note, the superstar is 53 receiving yards from 1,000 with one game to go. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has made reaching the milestone a stated goal, so the gameplan may heavily feature Jefferson in a Week 18 game against Green Bay.

Tuesday, October 28, 5:23 PM

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) had surgery on Tuesday to fix the torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee, and he "should be ready" for the start of next season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Nabers suffered his season-ending knee injury in the Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but he just now had surgery after doctors had to wait for the swelling in his knee to dissipate. Barring setbacks with his rehab and recovery in the offseason, the 22-year-old former first-rounder should be good to go for the start of the 2026 season next fall, although fantasy managers might have some reservations about rolling with a receiver coming off a major knee repair as a high-end WR1. Before his injury, though, Nabers had displayed his game-changing abilities with 271 yards and two scores on 18 receptions in four games. His long-term fantasy ceiling should be higher going forward now that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart looks like the real deal.