JustinJefferson

News: 4 days agoJefferson (hamstring) was working with team trainers on the side at the start of Friday's practice, Emily Leiker of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Spin: Jefferson has been sidelined since last Friday, when he initially was reported to be dealing with a mild left hamstring strain. Coach Kevin O'Connell told Emily Leiker of The Minneapolis Star Tribune on Tuesday that Jefferson's rehab was "going really well. Already progressing." Now that Jefferson appears to be ramping up his activity level further, a return to practice itself could occur in the not-too-distant future.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Jefferson enters his sixth NFL season as one of the best in the league at his position. The 26-year-old has produced a league-high 7,432 receiving yards since his arrival in 2020, having put up at least 100 catches, 1,500 yards and eight TDs in his last three full seasons. Jefferson has finished four straight seasons as a top-5 fantasy receiver on a per-game basis and showed he was QB-proof in 2024, finishing top 5 in catches, yards and TDs with Sam Darnold under center. Darnold is gone, but 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy could conceivably be an upgrade in Kevin O'Connell's pass-first scheme. Jefferson should be one of the first players off the board on draft day.