JUSTIN JEFFERSON NEWS

Sam Darnold and undefeated Vikings dominate first half and hang on to beat Packers 31-29

Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes and Jordan Addison scored twice as the Minnesota Vikings built an early 28-point lead and hung on down the stretch to beat the Green Bay Pa...

SEPTEMBER 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

No concern about hand injury Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that the Vikings have no concern about Jefferson's availability for Sunday's game against the Packers after the receiver jammed his finger in...

Impact The jammed finger may have contributed to Jefferson's pair of drops on his lone targets in the second half of the 34-7 win over the Texans, though he produced well enough in the first two quarters (six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown on six targets) to satisfy fantasy managers. Though Jefferson was sent in for X-rays after the game, the scans revealed no fractures to any of his fingers. He may be dealing with some discomfort, but the jammed finger shouldn't affect his practice participation or his playing time and usage in Week 4.

SEPTEMBER 24 • ROTOWIRE

Sam Darnold is thriving with the Vikings while getting the most support he's had in the NFL

Sam Darnold is thriving in the supportive environment provided by the Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O'Connell

SEPTEMBER 23 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Finds end zone in win Jefferson caught six of eight targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Texans.

Impact It looked like the superstar wideout was headed for a huge day when he hauled in a six-yard TD strike from Sam Darnold on the Vikings' first drive, but the quarterback wound up spreading the ball around and finding four different players for his four touchdown passes. Jefferson still has a three-game TD streak to begin the season, and his eight targets Sunday were surprisingly a season high so far. He'll look to keep rolling in Week 4 against the Packers.

SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Finds end zone in win Jefferson caught six of eight targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Texans.

Impact It looked like the superstar wideout was headed for a huge day when he hauled in a six-yard TD strike from Sam Darnold on the Vikings' first drive, but the quarterback wound up spreading the ball around and finding four different players for his four touchdown passes. Jefferson still has a three-game TD streak to begin the season, and his eight targets Sunday were surprisingly a season high so far. He'll look to keep rolling in Week 4 against the Packers.

SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Vikings stay undefeated with 34-7 dismantling of Texans behind fierce defense, Darnold's 4 TDs

Sam Darnold matched his career high with four touchdown passes, and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings used another dominant performance on defense by trouncing C

SEPTEMBER 22 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vikings clear Jefferson to play but rule out Addison, Pace and Turner against Texans

Justin Jefferson maintained confidence he would play this week despite the bruised quadriceps that forced him out of the last game

SEPTEMBER 20 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Avoids final injury report Jefferson (quadriceps) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against Houston, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Impact As promised by the man himself, Jefferson will be out there Sunday as the Vikings try for a surprising 3-0 start. Fellow wideout Jordan Addison (ankle) has been ruled out, but coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that Addison should have a good chance to return Week 4 against Green Bay.

SEPTEMBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

No concern for Week 3 availability Jefferson (quadricep) remained a limited participant in practice Thursday for the second day in a row, but he said afterward that he "for sure" plans to play Sunday against the Tex...

Impact Jefferson is tending to a bruised right quad in the aftermath of Sunday's win over the 49ers, but he said his body feels "great," and he's continuing to work with the Minnesota training staff to ensure he's in optimal condition by the weekend. A blowout win over the Giants in Week 2 and the injury in Week 2 have played a part in limiting Jefferson to six and seven targets in those respective contests, but he still ranks in the top five in the NFL in both receiving yards (192) and receiving touchdowns (two) through the first two weeks of the season.

SEPTEMBER 19 • ROTOWIRE

Limited again Thursday Jefferson (quadriceps) was a limited practice participant Thursday.

Impact Jefferson maintained his activity level from Wednesday's session as he tends to the bruised right quadriceps that he picked up late in the third quarter of this past Sunday's win against the 49ers. Both the wide receiver and coach Kevin O'Connell have expressed optimism in the meantime that the injury isn't serious, but Jefferson now has just one more session this week to prove his health ahead the weekend. In the end, Jefferson appears destined to have a designation for Sunday's game versus the Texans.

SEPTEMBER 19 • ROTOWIRE

Logs limited practice Wednesday Jefferson (quadriceps) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday.

Impact Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Jordan Addison didn't practice at all, instead rehabbing his sore right ankle on a side field. Coach Kevin O'Connell told Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune earlier Wednesday that the Vikings are hopeful Jefferson will be able to ramp up his activity level as the week goes on, but the quad contusion that he suffered this past Sunday against the 49ers may result in a designation for him ahead of a Week 3 matchup with the Texans.

SEPTEMBER 18 • ROTOWIRE

Goes through walkthrough Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that Jefferson (quadriceps) was able to go through the team's walk-through practice session, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star...

Impact O'Connell has called Jefferson "day-to-day" due to a right quad bruise sustained during Minnesota's win over the 49ers in Week 2. Barring any setbacks in practice, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com notes that the star wide receiver seems to be trending in the right direction to play Sunday versus the Texans. Meanwhile, O'Connell said No. 2 wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) is "still in that day-to-day world."

SEPTEMBER 18 • ROTOWIRE

The 49ers call their latest loss at Minnesota a 'wake-up call'

Minnesota has been a house of horrors for the San Francisco 49ers for decades

SEPTEMBER 17 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

The revamped and revitalized Vikings are thriving behind a much deeper defense

The changes the Minnesota Vikings made this year to a team that won seven games in 2023 didn’t move the needle much outside of their headquarters

SEPTEMBER 16 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Deemed day-to-day Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that Jefferson (quadriceps) is "day-to-day" and came into team facilities "feeling pretty good," Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tri...

Impact O'Connell seems optimistic about Jefferson's chances of being available Week 3 versus the Texans after the star wide receiver was forced out of Sunday's 23-17 win over the 49ers due to a right quad contusion. Through two games this season, including his early exit Sunday, Jefferson has piled up eight catches for 192 yards and two scores on 13 targets, shutting down any concerns about his ability to produce at a high level with Sam Darnold under center. Minnesota should provide another update on Jefferson's status by Wednesday at the latest, when the team's first official injury report of Week 3 will be released.

SEPTEMBER 16 • ROTOWIRE

Deemed day-to-day Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that Jefferson (quadriceps) is "day-to-day" and came into team facilities "feeling pretty good," Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tri...

Impact O'Connell seems optimistic about Jefferson's chances of being available Week 3 versus the Texans after the star wide receiver was forced out of Sunday's 23-17 win over the 49ers due to a right quad contusion. Through two games this season, including his early exit Sunday, Jefferson has piled up eight catches for 192 yards and two scores on 13 targets, shutting down any concerns about his ability to produce at a high level with Sam Darnold under center. Minnesota should provide another update on Jefferson's status by Wednesday at the latest, when the team's first official injury report of Week 3 will be released.

SEPTEMBER 16 • ROTOWIRE

Downplays injury Following Sunday's win over the 49ers, Jefferson downplayed the bruised right quadriceps that he sustained during the contest, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.

Impact "I'm not seriously injured," Jefferson noted after the game. "So that's the main important thing. So it's just all about getting to the training room, making sure my body is right for next week, and I'll be ready to go next Sunday." For his part, when discussing the star wideout's quad issue, coach Kevin O'Connell said, "it's pretty sore....(but) he's already up and moving, and we'll just treat that thing and hopefully he'll be day-to-day, and we'll see how his status looks for next week." In any case, added context regarding Jefferson's Week 3 status (versus Houston) will arrive no later than Wednesday when the Vikings return to practice.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Downplays injury Jefferson downplayed the bruised right quadricep that he sustained in Sunday's 23-17 win over the 49ers, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports. "I'm not seriously injured," Jefferson s...

Impact Head coach Kevin O'Connell more or less echoed Jefferson's sentiments, noting that the wideout is "sore" but is "hopefully day-to-day" heading into the Vikings' next game Week 3 versus Houston. Though the Vikings seem optimistic that Jefferson will avoid an absence, he could still have his practice activity monitored carefully this week. The team will provide another update on Jefferson no later than Wednesday, when the Vikings will issue their first Week 3 practice report. Jefferson finished with four catches for 133 yards on seven targets in the Week 2 win, with the bulk of his production coming on a 97-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the second quarter.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson leaves game vs. 49ers with quadriceps injury

Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson left the game against San Francisco on Sunday with an injury to his right quadriceps.

SEPTEMBER 15

Has quad contusion Coach Kevin O'Connell said after Sunday's 23-17 win against the 49ers that Jefferson suffered a bruised quadriceps in the contest, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Impact On the play that precipitated his departure late in the third quarter, Jefferson took a hit to his upper right leg that caused him to stay on the turf for a bit before going to the sideline tent and then locker room. O'Connell told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com that Jefferson is "pretty sore," and "hopefully" the wide receiver will be day-to-day. As a result, Jefferson's status will be one to monitor closely as the Vikings gear up for a Week 3 matchup with the Texans next Sunday, especially with fellow wide receiver Jordan Addison sitting out Week 2 with a sore right ankle.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Sam Darnold and an attacking defense drive the undefeated Vikings in a 23-17 win over the 49ers

Sam Darnold passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team, including a 97-yard strike in the second quarter to Justin Jefferson, and an attacking defense again fu...

SEPTEMBER 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vikings' Jefferson forced out of game with bruised quad that leaves him sore but optimistic

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was forced out of the game in the third quarter of the 23-17 victory over San Francisco with a bruised right quadriceps

SEPTEMBER 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hurts quad in Week 2 Jefferson suffered a quadriceps injury during Sunday's game versus the 49ers, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Impact Jefferson took a hit to his upper right leg late in the third quarter and remained down on the ground before going to the sideline tent and eventually the locker room. At the time of his departure, his line read 4-133-1 on seven targets, including a 97-yard touchdown catch.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Exits Sunday's game Jefferson left Sunday's game against the 49ers due to a leg injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Impact Jefferson remained on the turf for a spell before making his way to the sideline tent near the end of the third quarter. He then went to the locker room. Prior to his exit, Jefferson recorded four catches (on seven targets) for 133 yards and one touchdown, which was fueled by a 97-yard score.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Vikings enjoy 97-yard Darnold-to-Jefferson TD pass for early spark in win vs. 49ers

Sam Darnold strong-armed his former team in his home debut for the Minnesota Vikings with a 97-yard touchdown pass to superstar Justin Jefferson

SEPTEMBER 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS