Is Justin Jefferson playing tonight vs. the Bears? Injury update on Vikings WR for Week 1 Fantasy Football

Justin Jefferson has had an incredible start to his NFL career since being selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round in 2020. Despite missing seven games due to a hamstring injury in 2023, he has accumulated 7,432 yards. It's more than what any other receiver in league history recorded in their first five seasons.

The former LSU star has reached 1,000 receiving yards every year, and he plans to continue it this season.

Jefferson's Vikings are scheduled to face the Chicago Bears in their opening game. Let's explore if he will suit up at Soldier Field on Monday.

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Will Justin Jefferson play on Monday vs. the Chicago Bears?

Justin Jefferson missed most of training camp and the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury, but is still expected to play in Week 1. He was not listed in the Minnesota's most recent injury report.

The Vikings have been cautious about Jefferson's injury, which kept him out of all three preseason games. However, he'snot at risk of missing the first game of the regular season.

Jefferson returned to practice on Aug. 17. He also logged three full participations on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

There are reports suggesting that Minnesota will look to manage Jefferson's hamstring issue all season. This might mean his practice reps will be controlled to keep him fresh for games.

Jefferson's seven missed games in 2023 remains his only extended layoff since entering the league.

How to watch the Bears vs. Vikings Week 1 Monday Night Football game?

The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears will clash in an all-NFC North matchup in the Week 1 finale on Monday.

This game will mark J.J. McCarthy's first competitive game for the Vikings since he was selected at No. 10 last year. He sat out the entire 2024 season after undergoing surgery for the knee injury he sustained in a preseason game.

Here are the details on how to watch the Monday Night Football game, including television and streaming information.

Date and Time: Monday, Sept. 8 at 8:15 p.m. ET

Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: ABC and ESPN

Announcers: Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter), and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporter)

Live Streaming: ESPN+, NFL+, FuboTV, Sling TV

About the author

Habib Timileyin has been an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda for 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English, and found himself drawn to the NFL about a decade ago.

Habib's favorite team is the Cincinnati Bengals and he particularly enjoyed their run to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. The 2016 Super Bowl between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots is his most favorite of all time, and if given a chance to go back in time, he would love to witness the Patroits’ incredible comeback from being 28-3 down to winning 34-28.

Habib admires Tom Brady for his journey from being in a low draft position to achieving immense success in the game. His favorite coach of all time is Bill Belichick.

Habib likes to study intricate details of a story before reporting on it, and compares information among several reputable sources to ensure accuracy. When he's not writing about the NFL, Habib is likely watching Soccer, Basketball or enjoying a good movie on sports.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez