There are few Minnesota Vikings fans — or fans of the other three teams in the NFC North division, for that matter — who would argue that Justin Jefferson isn’t the best wide receiver in the NFL.
A group of coaches, league executives and scouts voted otherwise in an ESPN poll that the website published on Wednesday, July 16.
Jefferson finished as the No. 2 wideout behind Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, his former collegiate teammate at LSU.
“Chase got him this year, but Jefferson, a two-time champion in our rankings, should vie for the crown perennially,” Jeremy Fowler wrote. “His early career brilliance stands alone, with an NFL-record 7,432 receiving yards through his first five seasons. His four seasons of at least 1,400 yards trails only Jerry Rice (six) and Julio Jones (five).”
“Jefferson’s pro football path is already an Apple Maps search from Minneapolis to Canton,” Fowler continued. “Jefferson’s 34 career games of 100 or more yards leads all NFL receivers since 2020. And while Chase has a top-three passer targeting him, Jefferson has never played with a top-10 quarterback in Minnesota.”
Ja’Marr Chase Won Wide Receiver Triple Crown in NFL Last Season
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
One unnamed executive out of the AFC told Fowler that Jefferson was “the best route runner” and “probably has the best hands” of any wideout in the league.
An unnamed scout added that Jefferson “gets more open than anyone” in the NFL.
Despite that, though, Chase still took home the moniker of best receiver in the league. Part of that is because he accomplished a rare feat in 2024, winning the wideout triple crown. Chase led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17) last season, per Pro Football Reference.
The Bengals didn’t make the postseason despite Chase’s production in concert with that of quarterback Joe Burrow. Minnesota did earn a spot in the playoffs with Sam Darnold under center in 2024 on the strength of a career year from the quarterback.
Vikings to Start Inexperienced Quarterback J.J. McCarthy in 2025
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Darnold left Minnesota to capitalize on the first Pro-Bowl season in his seven years in the NFL, accepting a three-year contract from the Seattle Seahawks worth a total of $100.5 million. As a result, Jefferson will welcome in yet another starting quarterback in the form of second-year signal-caller J.J. McCarthy in 2025.
The Vikings drafted McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in 2024. He was competing with Darnold for the starting job before suffering a knee injury in August that required a couple of surgeries to repair and cost him his entire rookie campaign.
Minnesota firmly believes in McCarthy, who provides the team with financial flexibility to build out the roster over the next three years while playing on a $22 million rookie contract. However, that doesn’t necessarily bode well for Jefferson’s statistical production, as McCarthy will take his first-ever regular-season snap on Monday Night Football at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 (September 8).
Should McCarthy suffer another injury or struggle early on in his first real season, the Vikings don’t have any great answers behind him. Fourth-year quarterback Sam Howell will enter training camp this month as QB2, while Brett Rypien is third-string and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer is QB4.
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