Justin Jefferson Gets a Gruesome Snub
Do you think Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is better than the 92nd-best player in the NFL? Pro Football Focus does not. That outlet kept Jefferson in its annual Top 101 rankings this week, but shoved the Vikings’ best player all the way down to No. 92.
Vikings fans didn’t miss the message: PFF pushed Jefferson way down. Way-way down.
Jefferson encountered a quiet season by his standards in 2025, but 92nd in the NFL is a bit outrageous.
PFF’s List Drops Jefferson Into Unfamiliar Territory
PFF releases its Top 101 players each year.
PFF: Jefferson Is 92 of 101
Plain as day, PFF ranked Jefferson ninth from the bottom in its Top 101 and explained, “Although Jefferson finished with the fewest receiving yards of his career in 2025, that was largely not his fault. Jefferson’s 80.5 PFF overall grade ranked 16th among wide receivers this season. However, his 87.8 PFF receiving grade against zone coverage ranked sixth.”
If one asked a Vikings fan to rank Jefferson in the league’s pecking order, he’d check in the Top 10. A non-Vikings fan but intense NFL enthusiast would almost assuredly place Jefferson in the Top 20.
PFF says “Top 92.”
A Quiet Season Indeed
In 2025, the Vikings faced a quarterback quandary, with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer all receiving playing time. Of the 49 quarterbacks league-wide who logged over 80 dropbacks, three played for Minnesota, an instability that inevitably hampered the team’s passing game, particularly affecting receivers who rely on timing and rapport.
Jefferson’s statistics reflected this quarterback carousel: 84 receptions, 1,048 yards, and 2 touchdowns. While respectable numbers for most wide receivers, they represented a downturn for Jefferson.
In 2022, with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, he surpassed 1,800 yards, earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, and finished fifth in MVP voting. The disparity between these seasons underscores the impact of the Vikings’ quarterback woes.
Turning 27 this summer, Jefferson remains squarely in his prime. With consistent quarterback play, a return to the 1,500-yard mark is well within reach. His potential hasn’t diminished; rather, the unstable circumstances surrounding him have limited his production.
Ultimately, the dip in production can be traced back to inconsistent quarterback performance. Minnesota’s hopes rested on McCarthy, but early struggles and injuries derailed those plans. When passes are consistently off-target or late, a receiver’s production always suffers, and Jefferson bore the brunt of playing in one of the league’s least efficient passing offenses.
Fantasy Life‘s Ian Hartitz opined on McCarthy this week, “To say that J.J. McCarthy cost former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah his job may be extreme. What was not extreme is that McCarthy was anything resembling even a mid-level starting NFL QB last season. That has led to the organization entertaining getting some veteran competition for the young QB during the offseason.”
“Even putting aside McCarthy’s on-field performance for a second: The Michigan man has only been healthy enough to start 10 games over the last two seasons. At a minimum the team needs to have a better emergency plan than Max Brosmer, at a maximum it could make sense to add some real competition in the form of someone like Malik Willis, Marcus Mariota, or dare I say, Aaron Rodgers.”
Players Ahead of Jefferson
PFF thinks Kyren Williams (RB, Los Angeles Rams) is better than Jefferson. So is Kyle Pitts the Atlanta Falcons’ tight end. Davante Adams, at age 33, took the prize over Jefferson at No. 89.
PFF on Adams: “Adams operated as his team’s No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in several seasons, and he thrived in the role. His 84.8 PFF overall grade ranked ninth at his position, his highest mark since 2022. Adams led the league in receiving touchdowns (15), and quarterback Matthew Stafford generated a 106.8 passer rating when throwing his way, 19th among 80 qualifying wide receivers.”
And that’s just the beginning of the list. PFF will reveal its Top 80 in the coming days.
Time to Prove Them Wrong
Jefferson has one recourse. Make them pay.
He very vividly tailored his “down” season with squirrely quarterback play. It’s unlikely for Minnesota to waltz into 2026 with a shady plan at QB1 and QB2. In fact, the club’s leaders endorsed a “deep quarterback room” right away in the offseason, so the idea that Minnesota might run it back with McCarthy, Wentz, and Brosmer probably won’t come to fruition.
Minnesota must settle on a productive quarterback, whether that’s McCarthy or a different option like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones, and let it rip with Jefferson.
The Vikings’ brass must also be cognizant of Jefferson’s expectations. When the 2027 offseason hits, he can rather easily request a trade, which Minnesota could accommodate financially. The goal should be to cook with Jefferson, no matter what it takes — find a more reliable quarterback plan than last year.
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