Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Friday that wide receiver Justin Jefferson will miss Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. Jefferson suffered an ankle injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, and the Vikings decided to hold him out instead of rushing him back onto the field.

“He’s definitely feeling better. I think we’re encouraged about where he’s at, but just couldn’t get there,” said O’Connell about Jefferson’s status.

It’s not a surprise that Minnesota is taking this route. Over Jefferson’s seven seasons with the Vikings, the organization has been historically cautious with his injuries. His hamstring injury cost him seven games in 2023 when they probably could have brought him back much sooner. The Vikings know the value he brings to this football team, and they want him fully healthy before he returns.

That being said, this changes several things for the Vikings on Sunday.

Kevin O’Connell addresses the game plan without Justin Jefferson

O’Connell was asked how Jefferson’s absence affects the game plan against the Dolphins. 

“I think it’s better for the rest of the group knowing the plan, knowing you know where they’re going to align, knowing how we’re going to call personnel groupings to get certain guys in the spots we want,” said O’Connell. “We’ve been able to practice it. Some guys, including some of our young guys who have been here, like a Tai Felton or a Myles Price. It was their kind of first time going through it a little bit, as well as Jauan [Jennings]. You know, Jauan being out there and being asked to do a little bit more than just maybe the position he’s gotten the reps at throughout the week of a game plan. So across the board, I think everybody will be much more comfortable, and I’m excited to see those guys play after kind of the week of prep we just got out of those guys.” 

Jordan Addison will step into the WR1 role that Jefferson normally fills, and in turn, everyone else gets an elevated role. It’s a major shift in how targets will get distributed, and every one of those receivers will need to produce for the offense to stay on schedule.

The big difference here is timing. The Vikings didn’t lose Jefferson in the first quarter and scramble for answers on the sideline. They knew this was coming, so they had the week to build a full game plan designed to function without him. That kind of preparation could end up being a huge catalyst for the game itself.

How the Miami Dolphins defense could change its approach

Jefferson’s absence could also change the dynamic of how the Dolphins attack Minnesota’s offense. Miami plays a lot of two-high coverage, with over 50% of its coverages featuring two deep defenders. The Dolphins also play cover 6 on 21% of snaps, according to Fantasy Points data. Will they want to run the same amount of two-high shells with Jefferson out?

They have defensive backs who can play man coverage, but they aren’t asking them to do it often. Instead, they’re playing a significant amount more zone. That’s likely due to the fact that Miami is dead last in pressure rate and still hasn’t recorded a single sack.

When a defense can’t get home with its pass rush, it has to protect itself on the back end. Keeping two safeties deep and sitting in zone is the safest way to limit explosive plays, especially when a quarterback has time to survey the field.

That’s where this matchup gets intriguing for the Vikings.

This could be a big game for Kyler Murray

Miami has been far more successful against the run than against the pass. Combine that with a pass rush that hasn’t produced a sack and a coverage scheme that leans heavily on zone, and the setup favors quarterback Kyler Murray.

Murray should have time in the pocket to work through his progressions and find the soft spots in Miami’s zone looks. Even without his top target, there are opportunities to attack this defense through the air. Addison is more than capable of handling a bigger workload, and the depth receivers will get chances to make plays against coverage that isn’t challenging them at the line of scrimmage.

Even so, not having Jefferson puts a wrinkle in things. He’s the type of player who forces defenses to adjust everything they do, and the Dolphins won’t have to account for him on Sunday. How O’Connell schemes up the passing game without his best weapon will be the biggest storyline to watch.

If the Vikings’ preparation pays off, this could be the kind of game that shows what the offense looks like when someone other than Jefferson has to carry the load.