Justin Jefferson Reveals 'Turf Toe' Injury Update: Cowboys at Vikings
The Dallas Cowboys travel north to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a heavyweight NFC bout between two teams that might see each other again in the playoffs. ... starring two receivers who figure to be marquee guys today.
One issue for Minnesota that Justin Jefferson insists will be a minor one: He's dealing with a turf toe injury.
NFL Network suggests that it's "mild'' but that limited his practice reps this week, and quotes Jefferson as saying, "I mean, I'm playing, so … It (doesn't) really hurt. I just tried to make sure I wasn't overly doing it or overly stressing it out (in practice). But nothing major."
Meanwhile ...
While the Cowboys have had their issues at the wideout position this season, and while they prep for a visit in the coming days from free agent Odell Beckham Jr., they still hope CeeDee Lamb can materialize into the bonafide No. 1 option that he needs to be since the departure of Amari Cooper in the offseason.
But Lamb wasn't the only wideout the Cowboys were high on in that 2020 NFL Draft.
Dallas coach Mike McCarthy was also plenty high on LSU's Justin Jefferson. And while the Cowboys were excited that Lamb fell to them at No. 17 overall, McCarthy is hardly surprised at the success Jefferson has found in the league.
"CeeDee was my favorite of the group, and he was right there," McCarthy told reporters ahead of the Cowboys' Week 11 road game against the Vikings. "I love the way the guy played. See, I like guys that can play inside and outside, and they do something else, too.
"Like CeeDee, you can put him in the backfield. And Jefferson ... knowing the kid's background - multi-sports athlete - I'm not surprised at all he's having the success he's having, so we were very, very impressed with him. We thought we had him high, higher than most people on the board, so when he went after that was no surprise."
While Lamb was projected as the top receiver in the draft by many analysts, he was the third wideout taken, and when he fell to No. 17, Dallas just couldn't pass on him.
And now, in their third seasons in the league, both are serving as their team's No. 1 option. But it's Jefferson who may be separating himself as the best receiver in the league.
Coming off a Player of the Week honor after the Vikings' overtime win against Buffalo in Week 10, Jefferson leads the NFC with 1,060 yards receiving.
Sidebar: Jefferson also popped up on the Minny injury list with a toe problem but on Friday is telling the media that he's good to go for Sunday.
Lamb is coming off a career-high 150 yards receiving in Dallas' loss to Green Bay, and the Cowboys seem happy with his progress.
"He's one of those guys you sit there and hope because, you know, after you draft CeeDee, you're hoping he falls a little bit so you can try to have a chance to go up and get him too, but that obviously didn't last long," McCarthy said of Jefferson. "Helluva player."
The Cowboys face the Vikings on Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis ... with Jefferson and Lamb very much in the spotlight.
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