The Minnesota Vikings are going to be without their best offensive player -- and arguably the best offensive player in the NFL -- now that Justin Jefferson reportedly is expected to be placed on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury that he suffered in Week 5.
Vikings plan to place WR Justin Jefferson on injured reserve due to the hamstring injury he suffered Sunday, as @TomPelissero reported.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 10, 2023
Jefferson's injury is a massive blow to the 1-4 Vikings, but it also opens up an opportunity for Vikings rookie Jordan Addison to lead the team's passing game.
Addison, TJ Hockenson and KJ Osborn figure to be the top options in the passing game for Minnesota going foward. Even though the Vikings are 1-14, Addison has been impressive in his first NFL season.
The first-round pick has already scored three touchdowns in five games, and he should see an increase in target share now that Jefferson is out. Addison is currently fourth in the odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award behind Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.
Odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
Jordan Addison odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
At +2500, Addison may be worth a dart throw to win this award this season.
He's going to have a hard time passing Stroud, who has been terrific in his first season, but the other top quarterbacks (Anthony Richardson -- hurt and Bryce Young -- struggling on the 0-5 Carolina Panthers) are really out of the running for this award right now.
That means a skill player could jump in and pass Stroud, and there certainly is a path for Addison to get it done.
Jordan Addison should see increased target share with Justin Jefferson out
It starts with more touches for Addison, who has 29 targets and 19 receptions in five games this season. He hasn't seen more than nine looks in a single game (Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs when Jefferson went down), and he had a one target game against Carolina in Week 4.
That's partially because Jefferson is a target hog, seeing 53 targets in five games -- including three games with double-digit looks.
Someone is going to need to pick up the slack, and Addison appears to be the most likely candidate at receiver. He may not get all of Jefferson's workload, but even a slight increase to eight or more targets a game should help him put up bigger numbers.
So far this season, Addison has racked up 249 receiving yards and three scores, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. He's been the best rookie receiver outside of the Rams' Nacua.
However, Nacua could see his role decrease a little with the return of Cooper Kupp in Week 5. Kupp had over 100 yards in Week 5, and Nacua had seven catches -- his second lowest total of the season.
It's going to be hard to Addison to catch Nacua in the targets and receptions deaprtment, but he has more scores than the Rams wideout at this point in the season and should be due for some positive regression with Jefferson out.
There are worse bets to place in the futures market than taking a shot on Addison at +2500. He could end up popping off like Jefferson did at the end of his own rookie season.
If you're thinking of betting on Addison to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, considering placing that wager at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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