Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson

24-Year-Old Wide ReceiverWR
Minnesota Vikings
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Jefferson, Randy Moss and Odell Beckham are the only players to reach 4,000 receiving yards in their first three NFL seasons, and Jefferson is more than 650 yards clear of the other two after leading the NFL with 1,809 last year. The 22nd overall pick from the 2020 draft has neatly progressed from 1,400 to 1,600 to 1,800 yards each year while catching at least 64.7 percent of his targets for at least 9.7 YPT each season. Jefferson is only slightly above league average for WRs in terms of size (6-1, 195) and timed speed (4.43 40), but he's otherwise elite when it comes to route-running, ball skills and general feel for the game. He rapidly surpassed veteran Vikings wideout Adam Thielen, who was released this offseason and signed with Carolina. Thielen's departure might mean even more defensive attention on Jefferson, but it could also mean even more targets in a passing game that otherwise features first-round WR Jordan Addison, TE T.J. Hockenson and WR KJ Osborn. Boasting the highest non-injury floor of anyone in the player pool, Jefferson quickly emerged as the most popular No. 1 overall pick in early 2023 drafts. While one might argue there are a few running backs with more upside, we also have to consider that a 2,000-yard season is within Jefferson's range of possibilities. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a four-year, $13.12 million contract with the Vikings in July of 2020. Vikings exercised $19.74 million team option for 2024 in April of 2023.
Stellar performance to end season
WRMinnesota Vikings
January 7, 2024
Jefferson brought in 12 of 14 targets for 192 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for minus-12 yards in the Vikings' 30-20 loss the Lions on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
The Vikings were eliminated from postseason contention with the loss, but Jefferson certainly finished off the season in grand fashion. The ultra-talented wideout terrorized the Lions secondary throughout the afternoon, comfortably leading Minnesota in receptions, receiving yards and targets while also recording a nifty 38-yard touchdown grab. Jefferson's totals were also season highs across the board, and with the prolific afternoon, he finishes the season with 1,074 receiving yards in only 10 games despite having played with four different quarterbacks.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Justin Jefferson's 2023 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Air Yards Per Game
129.3
 
Air Yards Per Snap
2.46
 
% Team Air Yards
27.4%
 
% Team Targets
16.6%
 
Avg Depth of Target
12.8 Yds
 
Catch Rate
68.0%
 
Drop Rate
4.0%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
4.0
 
% Targeted On Route
25.9%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
2.78
 
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2023
2022
2021
2020
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2022 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Minnesota VikingsVikings 2023 WR Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

87881%
78272%
52549%
39036%
888%
797%
202%
30%
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Justin Jefferson lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
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Side
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2023 Justin Jefferson Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Justin Jefferson's measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 1"
 
Weight
195 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.43 sec
 
Vertical Jump
37.5 in
 
Broad Jump
126 in
 
Hand Length
9.13 in
 
Arm Length
33.00 in
 
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27 days ago
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45 days ago
Jim Coventry looks at players who could be undervalued or overvalued in redraft leagues in 2024. Expect Kenneth Walker to pay off.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Remaining in contact with Vikings
WRMinnesota Vikings
March 26, 2024
Coach Kevin O'Connell has remained in consistent contact with Jefferson during the offseason, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
There have been rumors that Jefferson is displeased with the current quarterback situation in Minnesota and may be unwilling to sign an extension as a result. However, O'Connell spoke to the media Monday and dismissed those concerns while adding that he has remained in consistent contact with Jefferson to apprise him of the team's quarterback plans, which could include trading up in the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite potential trades being floated involving the wideout, it appears that Minnesota is intent on keeping Jefferson for the long term.
See All NFL Rumors
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
On a per-target basis, Jefferson's second NFL season (9.7 YPT) wasn't quite as dominant as his first (11.2). But that's nitpicking; the bigger picture shows he added 42 targets from the previous year and was still one of the most efficient wideouts in the league. Only 11 produced more yards per target, and that includes four who saw 70 or fewer passes. Jefferson finished fourth among WRs in targets and catches, second in receiving yards and tied for sixth in touchdowns. The 23-year-old often makes it look easy, seemingly playing both bigger and faster than his on-paper metrics suggest (6-1, 195, 4.43 40, 37.5-inch vertical). From a fantasy standpoint, there's just as much to like, with Jefferson playing in an above-average offense that has enough weapons to keep defenses honest but nobody to challenge him as the go-to guy. Jefferson surpassed Adam Thielen for that honor mid-2020, and while the 31-year-old Thielen scored 10 touchdowns last year, he saw 2.5 fewer targets per game than his young running mate (9.8 to 7.3). If anything, the split could go even more in Jefferson's direction this year, though there is another variable with new head coach Kevin O'Connell arriving from the Rams. Other than that, stability is the story, with QB Kirk Cousins and RB Dalvin Cook joining Jefferson, Thielen and TE Irv Smith to form one of the league's more well-rounded groups of skill-position players.
With Stefon Diggs sent off to Buffalo, the Vikings needed to find a reliable complement to Adam Thielen last season. It didn’t take long. Despite a limited offseason and training camp, and playing only 65 snaps combined in Weeks 1-2, Jefferson set the league on fire as a rookie, leading the NFL in YPT (11.2) by a mile and finishing fourth in receiving yards (1,400). At 6-1, 202, and with good speed (4.45), Jefferson is athletic, smooth and explosive. Despite getting only 125 targets (18th), Jefferson tied for the league lead in catches of 20-plus yards with 23. The only hole in his game was red-zone usage — he saw only 12 inside-the-20 targets, eight inside the 10 and two inside the five, while his less efficient teammate Thielen had 20, 13 and eight, respectively. It’s no wonder then that Thielen had 14 touchdowns on 108 targets to Jefferson’s seven on 125. Heading into 2021, Jefferson is firmly established as Kirk Cousins’ big-play receiver and likely top dog. Thielen is still solid and should reprise a prominent role, but the depth chart thins considerably after those two, so expect an increase in targets for Jefferson in Year 2.
The Vikings traded Stefon Diggs to the Bills for the 22nd pick and used it to select Jefferson, his replacement. Jefferson was a monster at LSU last year with 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns on 111 catches. At 6-1, 202, Jefferson has above average size and good speed (4.43), and his vertical (37.5 inches) and broad jumps (126 inches) were both in the top quartile among his peers. While Jefferson might be ideally suited for the slot - where he dominated at LSU - he'll likely have to play out wide more in Minnesota's two-TE offense. Even in three-wide formations, it could be Adam Thielen rather than Jefferson getting the majority of slot snaps. Either way, the rookie should begin the year as the Vikings' No. 2 target behind Thielen, providing some much-needed downfield playmaking for Kirk Cousins.
More Fantasy News
Poor QB play affects line
WRMinnesota Vikings
December 31, 2023
Jefferson finished with five receptions on 10 targets for 59 yards in Sunday's 33-10 loss to the Packers.
ANALYSIS
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Goes off for 141 yards plus score
WRMinnesota Vikings
December 24, 2023
Jefferson corralled six of 10 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Lions.
ANALYSIS
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Building back momentum
WRMinnesota Vikings
December 16, 2023
Jefferson caught seven passes for 84 yards on 10 targets in the 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
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Suiting up Saturday
WRMinnesota Vikings
December 16, 2023
Jefferson (chest) is listed as active for Saturday's game at Cincinnati.
ANALYSIS
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Status in question for Saturday
WRMinnesota Vikings
Chest
December 14, 2023
Jefferson (chest) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game at Cincinnati.
ANALYSIS
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