Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has now missed five games with a hamstring injury, and fantasy football managers are desperate to get him back. The stud wide receiver was a first-round fantasy pick for the 2023 season, and his absence has left a huge hole in rosters. Let’s take a look at Jefferson’s latest injury update, whether he can return in Week 11, and his fantasy value going forward.
Latest Injury Update on Justin Jefferson
The most recent injury updates on Jefferson have been that the recovery from his hamstring injury is going to plan. There doesn’t appear to have been any setback, as the timetable laid out at the time of the injury was a four-to-six-week absence. On Monday morning, O’Connell told reporters that the WR will continue to ramp up this week and complimented the work Jefferson did last week.
However, on Wednesday O’Connell once again stressed caution and told reporters that Jefferson will need a lot of quick progress in his ramp-up time. “We’ll determine if it’s possible at all to have him for this weekend,” O’Connell said. While he is not ruling Jefferson out, it does not sound like a sure thing at all that we will see him in Week 11.
Jefferson was able to return to the practice field last week, being listed as a limited participant on the Vikings’ injury report. Throughout the week, both head coach Kevin O’Connell and Jefferson himself stressed that they weren’t rushing him back onto the field.
Last Monday, O’Connell told reporters that they wanted to “make sure that we’re doing everything responsibly to make sure that when Justin does return, he can be the Justin Jefferson we all know and expect to see out there.”
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On Wednesday, when pushed on whether Jefferson could return in Week 10, O’Connell told reporters that this week “would probably be a little aggressive” and that they were taking it “a day at a time.” He also told reporters the Vikings have a rough timetable in mind and that Jefferson was on a “good timeline.”
After practice Friday, O’Connell told reporters that Jefferson took part in individual drills, but they were still taking it day by day. He did not commit to a return date throughout the week, and ultimately, Jefferson was not activated to the 53-man roster ahead of Minnesota’s Week 10 game against New Orleans.
Will Jefferson Play in Week 11?
As of Wednesday, it seems less than 50-50 as to whether Jefferson will be on the field in Week 11. He did not progress to joining the team drills ahead of Week 10, and O’Connell made it sound like there was a long way to go when he spoke to the media Wednesday.
If he can get to be a full participant by the end of the week, there’s a chance we see him on the field. However, the Vikings very well may continue to slow-play his return. On Monday, O’Connell told reporters that they will continue to be “smart with Justin and know that when we do get him back, it’ll be a major boost.”
Minnesota sits at 6-4 as the seventh seed and 1.5 games behind the Lions in the NFC North. In Week 11, they take on a Denver Broncos team that has had a mixed year on the road in Denver. Then the Vikings host Chicago before heading into their bye week before returning in Week 14.
O’Connell and the medical staff may decide that giving Jefferson another three weeks of recovery for the price of two games is worth it. That would give a full eight-week recovery to hopefully ensure they have Jefferson for the final run to the playoffs and into January.
The Week 11 matchup being a night game in Denver may help them make that decision. It will likely be a cold night in Denver, which is not ideal for a player trying to keep his muscles warm on a return from injury.
Additionally, the thin air in Denver makes it tough on players in game shape, let alone a player who hasn’t played in five weeks and has been limited in the work he can do off the field.
What Is Jefferson’s Fantasy Value Entering Week 11?
We’ve already seen enough from the Vikings’ offense under Joshua Dobbs to know that this unit can sustain fantasy value. Jefferson’s floor and ceiling may be a little lower than we saw with Kirk Cousins, but he’s still a must-start option when he returns. Therefore, how you play Jefferson depends on your situation.
If you are comfortably in the playoff picture and can potentially sit on him for one more week and up to as many as three more weeks before he returns, then right now, there’s nothing to be done. Jefferson’s return will be a huge boost to your roster heading into the fantasy playoffs. Arguably for those fantasy managers, it would be best if Jefferson just sits and waits a couple more weeks.
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However, if you’re fighting for your playoff lives, then that changes the equation. Jefferson is still a valuable trade chip, and someone may be willing to pay big, believing he could return this week. You could get at least one solid starting option for Weeks 11, 12, and 13 in return, and potentially two or three.
Players with similar value to Jefferson right now in the PFN Trade Analyser include Isiah Pacheco, Jaylen Waddle, and Brandon Aiyuk. While none are as good as Jefferson at his peak, all three can help you for the next three weeks when Jefferson may not.
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