Will Justin Jefferson Play in Week 1? Fantasy Football Injury Update (2025)

Will Justin Jefferson play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025? Will Justin Jefferson be healthy enough to play in Week 1? McCarthy breaks down the latest Justin Jefferson injury news for fantasy football.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring) has been working his way back from a mild hamstring strain suffered on July 25 during training camp.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed that they would be very cautious in bringing him back into action, and all indications suggest that he should be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.

Jefferson has since started practicing again on August 18, as he begins to ramp up and establish a connection with quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Jefferson is poised for a dynamic start to the season, with Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games and additional targets up for grabs.

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Kevin O'Connell talks about how J.J. McCarthy and Justin Jefferson building chemistry despite the lack of reps:

“There are some players that can transcend the volume of reps you need, number 18 is certainly one of them.” pic.twitter.com/Sk63iqGt1D

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) August 21, 2025

Will Jefferson Play This Season?

While it's never ideal to see any kind of soft tissue or muscle injury, thankfully, Jefferson's case has been described as "very mild," and the team has handled the best receiver in football with extra care. He missed 25 days of practice and valuable reps with an inexperienced starting quarterback, but he can make up for lost time rather quickly. Jefferson has proven to be quarterback-proof over the years, topping 1,500 yards last season with Sam Darnold and averaging over 100 yards per game in five contests with Nick Mullens in 2023.

Jefferson's recovery has gone well so far in his return to practice. Still, with two weeks until the start of the season, it allows Jefferson and McCarthy plenty of time to stack reps and find their timing.

First look at Justin Jefferson (hamstring) back in Vikings practice, via @SeifertESPN:pic.twitter.com/T8Ucwv5EfK

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 18, 2025

Will Justin Jefferson Play In Week 1?

Jefferson should be ready to roll for Week 1 since the injury wasn't too severe, but it should be mentioned that he missed time in 2023 due to a hamstring strain. Notably, the current injury involves the opposite leg of the one sustained in 2023. There's a chance his routes are managed very early on, but there should be no restrictions for the most part.

#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell has a 90% reliability rating on injury coachspeak

We expect Justin Jefferson to be ready for Week 1 https://t.co/sSraOIUkr7 pic.twitter.com/36D9zJtFFk

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) July 25, 2025

The extreme caution taken by the Vikings coaching staff was the right call, as hamstring injuries tend to linger in some cases. Especially with wide receivers, the risk of reinjury is higher than at any other position. It heightens the risk a tad with the superstar, and with the overall strength of the pool of players in the first round this season, it's justifiable to consider other options if picking in the middle of the first round.

Justin Jefferson #vikings

Progressing back from the hamstring and reportedly doing well in practice. Expect he is ready for week 1.

WRs average a 15% decline in fantasy pts in 1st game after hamstring. 20-30% recurrence rate. 👇https://t.co/KMLePE9hs4

— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) August 24, 2025

Justin Jefferson 2025 Fantasy Outlook

Jefferson should be viewed as the best wide receiver in the NFL. However, for fantasy purposes, there are some concerns with who will be throwing him the ball this season and the hamstring injury. The 26-year-old wideout has had plenty of time to recover, and concerns about the injury should be easing by now.

Worries about the quarterback should be washed away as the offensive scheme has proven to be top-notch under head coach Kevin O'Connell. Additionally, Minnesota’s supporting cast looks elite, with Addison and T.J. Hockenson complementing Jefferson in the passing game and Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason forming the backfield duo.

The top of fantasy drafts is loaded in 2025, giving fantasy managers multiple superstar profiles to choose from in the first round. Jefferson's situation perhaps holds him back slightly, but he should still be one of the first three wide receivers off the board. His ability to win at all levels and put up elite efficiency on a heavy load of targets is what makes him the best receiver in football.

#Vikings WR Justin Jefferson needs 944 more yards to pass Randy Moss for the most receiving yards through a player’s first six seasons in NFL history.

GREATNESS pic.twitter.com/a2x3yukA9D

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 24, 2025

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