Why Justin Jefferson could win OPOY next season

By: Raina Rutschka

Justin Jefferson, 22, is entering his third year in the league, and you wouldn’t be remiss to think he might finally be in the running for offensive player of the year. Jefferson has elevated the Vikings’ wide receiver corps with his immense talent and consistency. To this point, he has been by far the best wide receiver taken in his draft class. Will that trend continue this year?

If Jefferson continues to play at the level he has shown the previous two seasons, he could finally bring Minnesota home some hardware.

Jefferson has been remarkably consistent

Since entering the league, Jefferson has had two seasons well-above 1000 yards. In 2020, he caught 88 passes for 1400 yards per Pro Football Reference. In 2021, he eclipsed even that. Last season he caught 108 passes for 1616 yards. These two impressive years allowed him to break the record for most receiving yards in a player’s first two seasons. His monstrous receiving numbers are complemented by 17 touchdowns in the previous two seasons.  

Jefferson’s durability is another factor that ties into his consistency. Since entering the league, he has yet to miss a game. He has suffered from both a Grade 1 ankle sprain, and a shoulder joint injury, but it has not held him back. The up-and-coming talent started all 17 games in 2021, leaving no room for anyone to question his dependability.

The other Vikings’ wide receivers

Jefferson took over the WR1 position, but Adam Thielen is firmly planted as WR2. Thielen has a lot of experience with the Vikings, playing all his career in Minnesota. Prior to Jefferson’s arrival, Thielen had plenty of his own 1000-yard seasons. For the last three years, however, he has been extremely injury prone. In 2021, he still managed to put up 726 receiving yards, but look for Jefferson to take over most of those targets as he continues to develop in the NFL.

Thielen and Jefferson highlight the Vikings’ wide receivers’ room, but now there may be a fresh face to add. It has been reported that running back Dalvin Cook is lining up at wide receiver during offseason team activities.

Cook has been the Vikings’ go-to guy in the backfield for years. He has been one of the most reliable running backs in the league, thanks to his impressive ability to break tackles and play aggressively. The Vikings have a new coaching staff now, and lining Cook up as a receiver across from Jefferson may be the duo, they have been looking for this whole time.

Despite having many solid options at wide receiver on their depth chart, Jefferson stands tall above the rest. His route running ability, speed, and ability to make contested catches are not something that can be matched.

A new regime in Minnesota

The Vikings parted ways with Mike Zimmer after the 2021 season. They are now under the lead of 37-year-old first-time head coach Kevin O’Connell. O’Connell, a former NFL quarterback, was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl Champions in 2021. His play-calling and aggressive style of play lead Cooper Kupp to a triple crown season, could he do the same for Jefferson?

O’Connell has already told the media he plans to use Jefferson in the same way he used Kupp last season.

“The one thing about Cooper Kupp this past season is he lined up in a lot of different spots. It was hard to defenses to really know where he was. He did a lot of different things. He had an impact in a lot of phases of our offense beyond just catching a lot of balls and scoring a lot of touchdowns”¦I see that with Justin. I see an incredible, incredible skillset, but I also see a player we can move around. We can make it hard for defenses to know where he’s going to be”¦He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. He’s willing in the run game. This guy’s a special, special player.” O’Connell told the media earlier this offseason.

It’s clear the Vikings’ new head coach has a vision for Jefferson. If the two work together the way they hope to, O’Connell could be staring down at the second-straight offensive player of the year under his direction.

Justin Jefferson has a lot going for him heading into the 2022 season. Thanks to a new offensive-minded coaching staff, a new counterpart in the lineup, and his talent combined with his durability, Jefferson could be heading into a career year in September.