By Alec Lewis, Jake Ciely and Dianna Russini
The Minnesota Vikings plan to place wide receiver Justin Jefferson on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury, league sources said. Here’s what you need to know:
- Jefferson reached a route in the red zone in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
- The 24-year-old Jefferson will miss at least four games due to injury reserve. The Vikings play against the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons in this phase.
- Coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that the team, which fell to 1-4, “is going to do what’s best for Justin and make sure we give him the treatment and the plan that is overall positive for him.” .”
Who is performing?
Pass-catching responsibility falls to wide receiver KJ Osborn, tight end TJ Hockenson and wide receiver Jordan Addison. Osborn’s experience on offense should help him seamlessly transition into the “X” receiver role that Jefferson normally holds. Hockenson, meanwhile, remains a prime target, while Addison’s opportunities should increase.
Offseason signee Brandon Powell is also a possible option. O’Connell trusts him after tracing their days together in Los Angeles. This group of four will have a heavy responsibility should Jefferson miss significant time. — Alec Lewis, Minnesota Vikings writer
The great influence on the Vikings
Without Jefferson, Minnesota’s attempt to climb out of this early hole faces an even tougher test. Jefferson is in his prime and is eligible for an extension. It wouldn’t make sense for the receiver or the organization to rush Jefferson back from a soft tissue injury when his entire skill set is based on explosiveness.
If the Vikings continue to lose in the short term and Jefferson remains on the sidelines, bigger questions arise. The October 31 trade deadline is approaching and the Vikings have several players who could be of interest, such as edge rusher Danielle Hunter and possibly even quarterback Kirk Cousins. –Lewis
Fantasy outlook
Osborn is a must while Jefferson is out. Addison spent more time outside, but he and Osborn ran 100 percent of the routes after Jefferson’s injury, with Osborn having 40 percent in the slot (ten routes) versus just 16.7 percent for Addison (four). That will give Addison more upside – 14.75 AirYD/TGT to 5.50 for Osborn – and Addison already had more end zone targets than Osborn.
Addison is a WR2/3 and Osborn is in the WR3 conversation without Jefferson. — Jake Ciely, fantasy author
GO DEEPER
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 6: Streamers, Emari Demercado, KJ Osborn and more
Backstory
Jefferson ranks third in the NFL in both targets (53) and receiving yards (571). Since being selected by Minnesota in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson has been one of the best players in the league.
He had at least 1,400 receiving yards every season and led the NFL with 128 catches for 1,809 yards in 2022.
The Vikings picked up Jefferson’s fifth-year contract option in April, and despite discussions of a long-term contract extension last offseason, he and the team have not yet agreed to a deal.
Required reading
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)