The Minnesota Vikings will activate wide receiver Justin Jefferson from injured reserve and plan to play him after the team's bye week, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday (November 28).
"The #Vikings are activating WR Justin Jefferson from Injured Reserve today, and he'll play after the bye," Rapoport wrote on his X account.
The Vikings will resume action against the Las Vegas Raiders on December 10. Jefferson, 24, was reported to be "very close" to returning, but the Vikings decided to sit him out for Monday's (November 27) loss to the Chicago Bears, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported hours before the game.
Last week, Jefferson fired back at fantasy football owners who he claimed were trying to persuade him to return from injury sooner than necessary.
"My health is wayyyy more important than you winning your fantasy games. It doesn’t matter how many times y’all flood my dms talking about me selling your team. I DONT CARE," Jefferson wrote on his X account last Tuesday (November 21) before shutting down the account.
Jefferson was placed on injured reserve on October 11 due to a hamstring injury suffered in the team's October 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which ruled him out for four consecutive games in adherence with league rules. The Louisiana native returned to practice earlier this month, but has missed two additional games since coming off injured reserve.
Jefferson recorded three receptions for 28 yards prior to exiting the October 8 game and had 36 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns through his first five games of the 2023 NFL season. The Vikings won their next five games prior to a 21-20 'Sunday Night Football' loss to the Denver Broncos and 'Monday Night Football' loss to the Bears.