Vikings' Justin Jefferson suffers ankle sprain vs. Buccaneers, Week 4 status still unknown

The Minnesota Vikings got good news on Monday about their star wide receiver. Justin Jefferson's ankle injury, suffered against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, is an ankle sprain, and he avoided any serious damage or long-term injury, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. However, it's still up in the air whether he will play in the Vikings' Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins.

>"It's just going to be about progressing throughout the week and getting him to where we can get him to from a standpoint of getting the swelling down and then what workweek he can have," O'Connell said. "But I was very encouraged to get that news."

>Jefferson went into the medical tent for evaluation in the first quarter, after the Vikings' first drive of the game. When he exited the blue medical tent, he had tape on both ankles. Jefferson had two catches for 32 yards before going down with the injury.

>If Jefferson does miss Sunday's game, wide receiver Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson will need to do more heavy lifting.

>Jefferson has not missed a game due to injury since 2023, when he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5.

>This season, Jefferson has 11 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Last week against the Chicago Bears, he led the team with three receptions for 55 yards, in a low-scoring divisional battle. He also led the team in their season opener against the Green Bay Packers, finishing with eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

>Jefferson has led the team in receiving yards since joining the Vikings in 2020 as the No. 22 overall pick. The four-time Pro Bowler had 1,048 yards in 2025, 1,533 yards in 2024, 1,074 yards in 2023, 1,809 yards in 2022, 1,616 yards in 2021 and 1,400 yards in 2020.

>The Vikings rank last in passing yards among teams that have played three games (462) and second-worst in completion percentage (56.2). Minnesota now sits at 3-0 after the 23-16 win over the Bucs.