Vikings fans were treated to “The Justin Jefferson Show” on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jefferson, the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, put his best foot forward to start the 2022 season. The two-time Pro Bowl selection hauled in nine receptions from quarterback Kirk Cousins for 184 yards with a pair of touchdowns in Minnesota’s 23-7 win over the Green Bay Packers. With his Week 1 outburst, Jefferson now has 19 touchdown catches and 15 performances of 100-plus receiving yards in his young career.
The Vikings wide receiver’s rapid ascent to superstardom has captivated his NFL peers, including the two-time defending league MVP. After Minnesota came out on top in the season-opening NFC North showdown, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers called Jefferson the “best player in the game today,” per a clip shared by the NFL’s official Twitter account.
Jefferson is a long shot to receive the league’s highest individual honor at season’s end, but oddsmakers definitely are taking notice of Jefferson’s development. Heading into the final game of the Week 1 slate, the 23-year-old has the fourth-shortest MVP odds among non-quarterbacks at FanDuel Sportsbook, trailing only Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry and Cooper Kupp, respectively.
The LSU product will try to make his MVP number even smaller when he takes the primetime stage next week. The Vikings will spend Week 2 in Philadelphia for a “Monday Night Football” matchup with the 1-0 Eagles.
