Justin Jefferson — Week 3: Two Catches, Then an Ankle
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Jefferson caught both of his targets for 32 yards, both on Minnesota's opening drive: 22 yards deep middle on the first Vikings snap and 10 on third and 19 ahead of Will Reichard's 54-yard field goal. He hurt his right ankle in the first quarter and did not return, per MPR News, in a 23–16 win over the Buccaneers.
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Nothing to nothing, 14 54 left in the first quarter, first and 10 at the Minnesota 24, the first Vikings snap of the game. Kyler Murray threw deep middle to Justin Jefferson, 22 yards to the Minnesota 46. +1.7 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 2.9 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. Later on the same drive Murray went back to him on third and 19 at the Tampa Bay 46, short right, 10 yards to the 36, nine short of the sticks, and Will Reichard kicked a 54-yard field goal. Those were the only two throws Jefferson saw. He hurt his right ankle in the first quarter and did not return, per MPR News.
The line: two targets, two catches, 32 yards, one first down, +1.7 expected points on the targets, 18 air yards and 14 after the catch. The 10-yarder came out at zero expected points; it bought the field goal rather than the first down. Third and 19 existed because a Minnesota holding penalty had wiped out a one-yard Murray sack on third and nine the snap before.
Where he sat: Minnesota threw 29 times, 25 of them with a receiver named, and Jefferson's two came inside the first four minutes. After his last catch the other 23 throws with a receiver went nine to Jordan Addison, six to Aaron Jones, four to T.J. Hockenson, and two each to Tai Felton and Jauan Jennings. Addison turned his nine into 90 yards and the Vikings' only offensive touchdown.
Back in June the preview made no call on Jefferson: a generational target earner coming off two touchdowns all of last season on a hundred 41 targets, with the rebound close to automatic and already expected, and who was throwing it plus the touchdown count as the September watch. Week 1 was nine targets, eight catches, 92 yards and two touchdowns, most of it from Carson Wentz after Murray was hurt. Week 2 was six targets and 55 yards, all from Wentz. Sunday was Kyler Murray's first full game as a Viking, and both of Jefferson's targets came on its first drive. Three games: 17 targets, 13 catches, a hundred 79 yards, two touchdowns. The question the preview asked now waits on an ankle, and the play-by-play cannot say for how long. Minnesota is home to the Dolphins on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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