Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been ruled out for his team’s Week 10 matchup with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, which does not come as much of a surprise.
Jefferson has been sidelined since Week 6 due to a hamstring injury he suffered the preceding game. He was activated from the injured reserve list earlier this week, but the Vikings are taking it slow with the superstar to ensure he is completely healthy before returning.
“The hamstring is a difficult injury just because it lingers and it comes back from time to time if you don’t put the right treatment into it,” Jefferson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “The guys and the rest of the coaching staff in this building know my worth on the field and they want me at 100 percent, as I do as well. I don’t want to go out there at 80 or 90 percent and have the chance of hurting it again. It’s just day-to-day, and when that time comes, I’ll definitely be ready to step out there.”
Hamstring injuries are certainly no joke and can easily be re-aggravated if not treated properly, so Jefferson and the Vikings are wise in being extra cautious.
In the five games he has played this season, Jefferson has logged 36 catches for 571 yards and three touchdowns.
The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at LSU, was selected by Minnesota with the 22nd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jefferson had a phenomenal rookie campaign, catching 88 passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. He was even better the following year, hauling in 108 receptions for 1,616 yards and 10 scores. Then, last season, Jefferson one-upped himself again, leading the league in both catches (128) and receiving yards (1,809) while reaching the end zone eight times.
The St. Rose, La. native has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons and has also earned back-to-back First-Team All-Pro selections.
The Vikings are 5-4.
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