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Justin Jefferson to play vs Bears in Week 1? Vikings insider gives crucial injury update
Vikings face WR woes as Justin Jefferson battles a hamstring issue ahead of Week 1 vs Bears. With Addison suspended, Adam Thielen may share duties.
As the Minnesota Vikings open their season against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football on September 9, all eyes will be on who starts as wide receiver for Minnesota. But it seems Minnesota's wideout woes are to continue for now.
The Vikings have one of the best WRs in the league in Justin Jefferson. However, the 26-year-old has been dealing with a hamstring injury which has seen him sidelined for most of the training camp. He was not in the squad for the Vikings' preseason games, as well. Now, as Week 1 nears, fans are looking forward to updates on the WR.
But it's not all bad for Minnesota. According to reports, Jefferson's injury is not so bad that he wouldn't be able to play, but bad enough for his game time to get significantly reduced. Ahead of the Bears clash, Minnesota Star Tribune's Ben Goessling, a Vikings insider, has revealed that Jefferson's injury is subject to "long-term maintenance."
"This is going to be a long-term maintenance thing. He's had enough hamstring at this point. ... He practices hard, he does not like to miss practice, I wonder if they would mitigate any of that," Goessling said.
"Hamstrings seem like a consistent enough issue for him that I think they are going to treat it with quite a bit of attention," he added.
Jefferson suffered a right hamstring injury during the 2023-24 NFL season, which caused him to miss seven games.
Vikings wide-receiver woes: Will Justin Jefferson start in Week 1?
Given Justin Jefferson's importance to Minnesota Vikings season, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are expected to keep the WR wrapped in cotton wool for the rest of the season.
Also read: Bears cornerback Johnson hopes to be ready for opener against Vikings, won't make any guarantees
In 2024, Justin Jefferson was the Vikings’ undisputed WR1, hauling in 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns—numbers that far outpaced the rest of Minnesota’s receiving corps. While Jordan Addison emerged as a solid WR2 with 67 receptions, 1,026 yards, and 9 scores, Jefferson’s league-leading numbers made him central to the offense.
Now, with the WR's hamstring under stress, the Vikings acquired Adam Thielen from the Carolina Panthers, while Jordan Addison remains suspended till Week 3 with an alcohol-related offense.
It is likely that when Minnesota takes on the Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, the WR duties will be divided between Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
