Justin Jefferson

Last year, Justin Jefferson had a horrible runout as the WR28 in fantasy points per game (WR14 in expected fantasy points per game). Obviously, a ton of his season was impacted by the level of quarterback play, but Jefferson also slid to 36th in separation score and 38th in route win rate (among 109 qualifying receivers, per Fantasy Points Data). A lot of the blame can fall at the feet of Minny's quarterback room last year, but not all of it, considering the per-route metrics as well as the fact that Jefferson was tied for the sixth-most drops. Yes, he was also 78th in catchable target rate, so 2025 was a mixed bag with some blame on both sides of the aisle. Last year, Jefferson was still sixth in target share (28.5%) and seventh in first-read share (35.1%), so we should all expect the Minnesota passing attack to run through their alpha wide receiver again in 2026. He could easily return to being a top 10 fantasy wideout as he has been every year of his NFL career (outside of 2025), but there's still some risk with Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy throwing him the ball this season.

Justin Jefferson's disappointing 2025 season was far more about quarterback dysfunction than any decline in talent. Even during a "down year," Jefferson still commanded an elite target share, while poor QB play and brutal touchdown luck tanked his fantasy production. The arrival of Kyler Murray gives Minnesota's superstar receiver a massive opportunity to rebound into the elite WR1 tier, where he has spent his entire career. Fantasy managers should treat Jefferson as a prime bounce-back candidate and one of the best values among first-round receivers in 2026 drafts.