Justin Jefferson, one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL, has been sidelined since early October with a hamstring injury.
Somehow, the Minnesota Vikings went on a five-game winning streak without him, and they hold a 6-6 record, which means if the playoffs started today, they would be the sixth seed in the NFC.
They will visit the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that is more talented than its 5-7 record would suggest, this weekend, and they need more wins if they are to actually reach the postseason.
Per Ian Rapoport, Jefferson fully took part in practice on Wednesday, and he will finally return to game action on Sunday.
For the first time since his hamstring injury, #Vikings star WR Justin Jefferson was a full participant today at practice. He’ll play on Sunday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 6, 2023
Lost in the hoopla over Tyreek Hill’s historic season is the fact that until his injury, Jefferson appeared to be on pace to have a season to remember in his own right.
In five games this year, he has 571 receiving yards plus three touchdowns, and he’s averaging 114.2 receiving yards per game, which is less than 10 under Hill’s league-leading mark of 123.4 per game.
Last year, Jefferson led the NFL with 1,809 receiving yards, and many felt this was the year he could become the first player to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a single season.
While he was out, Vikings starting quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending torn Achilles, and Josh Dobbs has taken over under center.
After Week 14, Minnesota will be at the Cincinnati Bengals before returning home to face the 9-3 Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve.
Minnesota will play Detroit twice in the last three weeks of the season, and sandwiched between those games will be a contest versus the Green Bay Packers, another team that’s in the hunt for a playoff spot.
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The Vikings Have Announced Their Starting QB For Sunday
