Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson had his worst season in 2025. When a great player like Jefferson has an off year, the hope is that he’ll bounce back the next year. That hasn’t happened.

Jefferson’s stats are actually worse across the board in 2026 than they were in 2025, when he seemed to have reached the bottom of what a player his caliber is capable of producing.

Last year, Jefferson finished with a career-low 1,048 receiving yards. This year, heading into Week 9, Jefferson has just 335 receiving yards.

Last year, Jefferson averaged a career-low 12.5 yards per catch. This year, Jefferson is averaging 12.0 yards per catch.

Last year, Jefferson had a career-low 47 receiving first downs. This year, Jefferson has 17 receiving first downs.

Last year, Jefferson averaged a career-low 4.9 catches per game. This year, Jefferson is averaging 4.7 catches per game.

Last year, Jefferson averaged a career-low 61.6 receiving yards per game. This year, Jefferson is averaging 55.8 yards per game.

The major question to ask is whether this means Jefferson has declined, or whether the blame goes to the Vikings’ quarterbacks who haven’t been able to get him the ball over the last two years. An answer to that question may come on Monday night against the Bills, when Carson Wentz starts in place of Kyler Murray, who has been announced as out with a hamstring injury.

Jefferson’s best game this year came in Week 1, when he had just two catches for 11 yards early on with Murray in the game, then caught six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns from Wentz after Murray left with a concussion. Jefferson also had his best games last year catching passes from Wentz: Jefferson averaged 95.4 yards per game in the five games Wentz started in 2025, and averaged just 47.6 yards per game in the 12 games started by J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer.

If Wentz and Jefferson connect for a big game on Monday night, it may spur Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell to decide Wentz is his quarterback going forward. If Wentz can’t get the most out of Jefferson’s playmaking abilities on Monday night, the Vikings may decide on Tuesday morning that it’s time to go shopping for a new quarterback at the trade deadline.