Jauan Jennings — Week 3: Two Third-Down Targets, One Yard
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Jennings was thrown to twice, both on third down after halftime: a 1-yard catch on third and eight in the third quarter and a deep incompletion on third and five early in the fourth, both followed by punts. He had missed Week 2 for a personal reason, per NBC Sports, and returned for a 23–16 win over the Buccaneers.
When Jauan Jennings's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
The full episode, in writing
17 to 13, Vikings, 13 35 left in the fourth quarter, third and five at the Minnesota 30. Kyler Murray threw deep left for Jauan Jennings, 21 yards in the air, incomplete. −1.3 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and −8.5 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. Minnesota punted. The snap before, a Tampa Bay offside penalty had wiped out a short T.J. Hockenson catch and turned third and 10 into third and five.
The line: two targets, one catch, one yard, −2.5 expected points on the targets, 22 air yards. The catch was third and eight at the Minnesota 36 with 10 45 left in the third, up 17 to 10, short left, pushed out at the 37, seven short; a Minnesota holding penalty on the play was declined, and the Vikings punted. Both targets came after halftime, both on third down, and neither moved the chains.
Two targets tied Justin Jefferson and Tai Felton for fourth on the Vikings, behind nine to Jordan Addison, six to Aaron Jones and four to T.J. Hockenson. Jefferson left in the first quarter with an ankle injury, per MPR News, and the throws that opened up went mostly to Addison: from Jefferson's last catch on, Jennings had two of the 23 throws with a receiver.
Back in June the preview leaned toward Jennings: nine touchdowns in San Francisco, and one open question — whether a new depth chart's third receiver job could carry the targets, with his September share against a 19.4-percent baseline as the watch and "if Jefferson and Addison eat the tree" as the way it fails. Week 1 was one target, intercepted. He missed Week 2 for a personal reason, per NBC Sports. Sunday, with Jefferson gone early, the tree still went elsewhere. Two games played: three targets, one catch, one yard. That is well under the baseline and small enough to be a start rather than a verdict. Minnesota is home to the Dolphins on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Jauan Jennings's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
Keep going