While Justin Jefferson will be eligible to make his Minnesota Vikings return this week, it seems like he may be sidelined for several more weeks.
Heading into Week 9, the Vikings are surprisingly in the thick of the playoff chase on the latest NFL standings. They have lacked an effective run game, have a middle-of-the-road defense, and most notably, have been without superstar receiver Justin Jefferson since Week 5, but it hasn’t completely derailed their season.
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Their position near the final playoff spot in the NFC is mostly due to the outstanding play of quarterback Kirk Cousins and the rise of rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison. However, in Week 8 Cousins suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season.
If the team has any chance of sneaking into the 2023 postseason, they need all the help they can get and Jefferson’s return to action would certainly give the team a boost for the second half of the season. Yet, it seems that may not be close to happening despite being able to come off of injured reserve this week.
Justin Jefferson unlikely to return in NFL Week 10
On Sunday morning, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter gave an update on Justin Jefferson’s injury and it should give Minnesota fans reason to be worried about their chances of making the playoffs this season.
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“Vikings’ Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson is eligible to come off the injured reserve this week from a hamstring injury that was expected to sideline him four to six weeks,” Schefter wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “But Jefferson still has to meet with the doctors, the team has to decide how it wants to handle Jefferson, and there currently continues to be uncertainty about his status, per sources, despite the fact that he could be activated as early as this week.”
- Justin Jefferson stats (2023): 36 catches, 571 yards, 3 touchdowns, 114.2 yards per game
It’s very disappointing news for Vikings fans and the three-time Pro Bowler after a landmark season where he tallied over 1,800 yards last year. The longer he is sidelined, the more likely this undermanned team loses games and fall out of contention.