Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. With Jefferson out for at least the next four games, fantasy football managers everywhere are scrambling to replace their star wide receiver and stay afloat until Jefferson makes his return.
What should you do in fantasy leagues if you're a Justin Jefferson manager? And what's the long-term play for dynasty leagues? We'll answer those questions and more when we break down the fantasy football impact of Vikings star Justin Jefferson missing at least four weeks with an injury.
How to replace Justin Jefferson in fantasy
Replacing an injured wide receiver is a little different than a running back. Typically, we'd tell you to run to the waiver wire for a direct replacement on the same team when a running back goes down. It seems much more likely that Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson (and to a lesser extent, KJ Osborn) will just see more opportunities rather than someone filling the gigantic shoes of Jefferson all on their own.
In season-long leagues, teams that are way under .500 and just lost Jefferson could consider dealing him. Likewise, if you're leading your league and in good shape, making a discounted deal for Jefferson to have him for the stretch run and postseason would be smart managerial work. Soft tissue injuries, like hamstrings, can nag and keep a player away from being 100 percent, but it would be surprising if Jefferson were to miss much more than a month with this injury.
What needs to be factored in, however, is that Jefferson is likely going to be angling to receive a massive contract extension like we've never seen before at the wide receiver position. Jefferson has broken multiple records and is by most accounts the best wideout in the league — it doesn't make sense for him financially or long-term to rush back at less than 100 percent to a Vikings team that could easily fall out of the playoff picture in the weeks that he's gone.
There's some risk in dealing for Jefferson because of that, and a late Week 13 bye could complicate things as well. Jefferson will be eligible to return in Week 10, but will he rush back to the field only a few weeks before the bye, or completely heal up and play afterward?
That's the risk of trading for Jefferson in season-long leagues, and the reason to trade Jefferson if you're only one or two losses away from being out of the playoff picture.
Potential waiver wire additions for Jefferson owners this week include Josh Downs, who has shown a nice connection with Gardner Minshew and is very talented, and Van Jefferson, who was acquired by the Falcons and could immediately step into a starting role.
How to leverage Jefferson's situation in fantasy football
For dynasty league players, Jefferson is a screaming buy. Any time you can get a discount on acquiring a top dynasty asset, you should go for it. While his managers may be unlikely to budge, it's wise to be opportunistic here for anyone who is in “win now” mode and wants to stay competitive with their best player hurt.
The uncertainty around Jefferson's return date makes now the time to strike. Once he returns to even working on the sideline during practice, the trade window will be closed. Strike now when the Jefferson manager is the most in need, and see if you can get the game's best receiver at a discount.
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