Vikings' Justin Jefferson day to day with ankle sprain

The first injury report of Dolphins week came out without Minnesota's best player on the practice field.

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

No practice today for WR Justin Jefferson, whom the team considers day to day due to his ankle injury.

Jefferson hurt the ankle Sunday in Tampa. He caught 2 balls for 33 yards on the opening series of the Vikings' 23-16 win over the Buccaneers, then left and didn't come back. Minnesota still found a way to win without him and is 3-0, but nobody wants to try that with him out of the lineup for weeks.

The good news is in the details. Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday it's a regular ankle sprain, not a high-ankle sprain, which is the kind that swallows a month. 'I know we were encouraged about what it actually is,' O'Connell said. 'Now it's just about working through it.' He also said he's 'gotta get to a certain place' before they put him out there, which is coach-speak for nobody is rushing this.

So it's still on the table. Day to day means exactly that, and missing a Wednesday practice in Week 4 doesn't tell you much about a Sunday afternoon game. What matters is whether Jefferson gets on the field at all Thursday or Friday. If he's back in a limited role by the end of the week, he probably plays. If he misses all 3 days, this could go all the way to warmups.

Kickoff against Miami is 3:25 p.m. CT Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, with a 4-0 start on the line. The Vikings would obviously love to have him. But Jefferson is the guy the whole offense is built around, and he matters a lot more in December and January than he does against Miami in Week 4. If the ankle isn't right, the smart move is to sit him and bank the long run.

Keep an eye on Thursday's practice report and whatever designation he gets Friday. Fantasy owners, keep a backup handy for the late window.