Getty NFL fans voted CeeDee Lamb as a better wide receiver to build around than Justin Jefferson despite mounting evidence that proves otherwise.
Step aside, CeeDee. The Vikings have something special in rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
The 21-year-old is transcending his first-year status and already playing like a “five, six-year vet,” All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman said last week.
Entering Week 11, Jefferson led the league in yards per route run (3.3), outproducing Adams (3.2), Arizona Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins (2.9) and Atlanta Falcons All-Pro Julio Jones (2.8).
His 848 receiving yards this season ranks seventh in the league while his 59 target-share ranks 43rd. He’s taking his opportunities and running with them — and then some.
The next closest rookie wideout in performance to Jefferson is the Dallas Cowboys‘ Ceedee Lamb, who has 629 yards on 75 targets this season.
When it came to an ESPN Twitter poll asking: “Which rookie WR would you build your offense around?” The answer seemed pretty clear to the Vikings.
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NFL Fans Continue to Sleep on Jefferson
Despite Jefferson’s performance, fans nationwide have yet to give Jefferson the credit he’s due.
In the following tweet, Lamb dominated in votes, winning over 25,000 compared to Jefferson’s 3,000.
RT for Justin Jefferson, like for CeeDee Lamb
Pittsburgh Steelers fans also have thrown rookie Chase Claypool into the conversation as the Notre Dame product has 10 total touchdowns on the season compared to Lamb and Jefferson’s four apiece.
Vegas has weighed in and currently lists Jefferson with the best odds of winning Offensive Rookie of the Year at +900 on Draft Kings. He trails Justin Herbert, who is the favorite with -900 odds currently.
Jefferson’s an All-Pro Candidate and Makes a Case for More Touches
Jefferson’s reputation in the league has likely been diminished by his primetime performance against the Seattle Seahawks, where he disappeared from the game plan and caught just three passes for 23 yards. Regardless, Jefferson is making a case for Pro Bowl and even All-Pro honors in his rookie season.
“In the 15-year period between 2003 and 2018, eight of the 10 rookies who averaged 67 yards per game earned at least three first-team Pro Bowl appearances in their careers,” The Athletic’s Arif Hassan wrote. Jefferson is averaging 84.7 yards per game.
Remove the two-game buffer where Jefferson didn’t start and the former LSU star is averaging 98.9 yards a game this season.
He’s proven to be one of the league’s most productive receivers, averaging a second-best 18.8 yards per reception this season, and yet, he has seen five or fewer targets in five of his seven starts this season.
Coming down to the final six weeks of the season, the Vikings may need to distribute the ball more evenly across the offense after feeding Dalvin Cook a league-leading 25.1 touches per game this season. Defenses are keying on stopping Cook, who’s taken a beating the past two games.
Getting Jefferson more involved in the offense could be key to the Vikings making a run in the final stretch of the season with virtually no margin of error left in their chase to the playoffs.
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Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.