Vikings WR Justin Jefferson not active vs. Bears, likely to return after Week 13 bye

The Minnesota Vikings take on the Chicago Bears on Monday night, but one Vikings player will not take the field: star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury sustained Oct. 8, has been designated as "out" for this NFC North matchup, scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET.

It's not terribly surprising that Jefferson is still out. Hamstring injuries are tricky and can lead to more severe issues if they don't heal right. And since the Vikings have their bye in Week 13, there's no reason to rush the 24-year old back. He'll have an extra week to get fully healthy, which is his top priority.

Jefferson has been open about valuing his health so he can have something few players achieve: longevity. His job relies on both his brain and his body, and he's serious about preserving both. He's said that he's the only one who can and will decide when he's ready to play.

"I'm the main person that's going to make the decision at the end of the day. I'm the person that's going out there running. I'm the person that's going out there and putting my body on the line to win games and do things for this organization. I know how I feel, I know how my hamstring is feeling," Jefferson said. "Of course we're going to weigh in on all the different opinions and what everyone has to say, but at the end of the day I'm the one that's going out there and putting my body on the line."

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Jefferson is expected to be 100% after the Week 13 bye. While fantasy football managers might be pretty peeved right now that Jefferson, a universally high pick in fantasy drafts, isn't likely to return until Week 14, he recently said that he doesn't care at all about the opinions of fantasy players, because his health is "way more important." He wanted to make this clear due to the torrent of angry social media messages he'd been getting about his continued absence.

To the shock of no one, Jefferson's message didn't stop the angry fantasy managers from messaging him. So he deactivated his X (formerly known as Twitter) account last week, putting a permanent end to those messages — until he decides to reactivate, that is. If he wants to jump back into social media, it might be wise to wait until the offseason.