The Minnesota Vikings will be without wide receiver Justin Jefferson when they host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Coach Kevin O’Connell announced the decision Friday after Jefferson missed every practice this week. The receiver left last Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an ankle injury and did not return.
Minnesota won that game 23-16 to improve to 3-0. Jefferson was hurt on the opening possession, finishing with two catches for 32 yards before exiting.
An MRI the next day showed an ankle sprain and no long-term damage, according to earlier reports. O’Connell had described the injury as manageable earlier in the week, but Jefferson’s lack of practice led to Friday’s ruling.
In three games this season, Jefferson has 13 receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns. He entered the year as a two-time first-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection.
The absence ends a long stretch of availability. Jefferson played in every Vikings game across five of his six full seasons before this week. The exception came in 2023, when a right hamstring injury cost him seven games.
Jordan Addison is the most likely beneficiary of the extra targets. Addison caught five passes for 90 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown, in the win over Tampa Bay after Jefferson left.
Minnesota’s offense otherwise leaned on a limited passing day. Quarterback Kyler Murray, back from a concussion, completed 15 of 29 passes for 168 yards in that game.
The Dolphins arrive at 0-3. Miami has lost all three games by double digits and recently lost running back De’Von Achane to a torn ACL.
The Vikings also ruled out cornerback Charles Demmings and punter Brett Thorson, both with hamstring injuries. Thorson has been sidelined since straining his right hamstring in Week 2.
O’Connell said Johnny Hekker will be elevated from the practice squad to handle punting duties Sunday. Hekker gives Minnesota a veteran option after Thorson’s absence stretched into a second week.
Jefferson’s early-season production had been steady before the injury. He accounted for two scores and 179 yards despite limited work in the Buccaneers game, and he had not missed a contest this year until now.
The Vikings face the Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Eastern.
Minnesota has not indicated how long Jefferson is expected to remain out beyond this week. The team’s next game after Miami is still more than a week away, which leaves time for the swelling from the sprain to settle.
