The Minnesota Vikings are activating wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who spent time on injured reserve after dealing with a hamstring injury. The Vikings placed him on IR after their Week 5 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

By that time, Jefferson had at least 149 receiving yards in each of his first three games. He had 150 in their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 159 versus the Philadelphia Eagles, and 149 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In Week 4, Jefferson and the Vikings tasted their first victory this season. He had six catches for 85 yards in their winning effort versus the Carolina Panthers. The former LSU standout had 36 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns before being sidelined by injury.

With Jefferson returning, his fantasy owners will be thrilled about his potential to deliver massive stat lines every week. His yearly stats prove that he has been one of the most dominant forces in the NFL. After 1,400 yards in his rookie year, he finished with 1,616 yards in 2021 and 1,809 in 2022.

Jefferson’s return could also spark the struggling Minnesota offense that scored only 30 points in their last two games. That’s 20 against the Denver Broncos and ten versus the Chicago Bears. In both games, T.J. Hockenson led the team with 105 total yards.

Likewise, Justin Jefferson can keep his streak of 1,000-yard seasons going. However, to reach that mark, he must average 86 yards per game in the Vikings’ five remaining regular season games. It won’t be easy because they will face the Detroit Lions twice and have road games against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals. They will also host the Green Bay Packers in Week 17.

More importantly, winning all those games could give them a shot at a Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs. It’s a feat that Jefferson would like to attain more, especially when negotiations for a contract extension are bound to happen next offseason.

-Lance Fernandez