The Minnesota Vikings haven't had the start to the 2023 season that they were hoping for, crawling out to a 1-4 start over their first five games. And now, to make matters worse, they have been dealt a crushing injury update in regards to superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson, who was forced out of Minnesota's Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a hamstring injury, is set to be placed on the injured reserve, which will hold him out for at least the Vikings next four games.

For a Vikings squad that has already had a lot of things not go their way this season, this is about as crushing of an update as they can get. Jefferson has firmly established himself as the best wide receiver in the league, and had been on absolute fire to start the season (36 REC, 571 YDS, 3 TD). Even with his three catch, 28-yard performance in Week 5, Jefferson is still third in the league in receiving yards in the entire league.

With Jefferson set to miss time, this forces Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn into bigger roles in the Vikings offense. Both guys have been decent complementary pieces for Jefferson, but it remains to be seen whether they can combine to step up and fill the big hole in the offense left behind in his absence. Elsewhere, star tight end T.J. Hockenson is also going to see more targets come his way as a result of this move.

Losing arguably the top playmaker in the entire league is a huge blow to a Vikings team that was already struggling, and it may be tough for them to find a way to overcome this loss. The hope is that Justin Jefferson will be able to return after the minimum four games he needs to spend on the injured reserve, but it doesn't seem like there's a guarantee that will happen, which makes this situation even worse for Minnesota.