Jefferson missed most of the first half of the 2022 season and didn't even record his first catch until Week 10, but the second half may have been even more disappointing. Playing without Cooper Kupp, and mostly without Allen Robinson, Jefferson still saw just a 16.5% target share from Week 10 on and trailed Tyler Higbee and Tutu Atwell with a mediocre 1.43 yards per route run. While it's true that he was playing with backup QBs the whole time, we still would have liked to see Jefferson command more targets. He can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues until he proves something more, but he's a Dynasty hold at least until September.
Jefferson caught one of three targets for 46 yards and rushed once for four yards during Monday's 19-16 loss to the Bengals.
Jefferson's single reception was a spectacular catch past former Rams safety Nick Scott, but Jefferson was also the target on one of Matthew Stafford's two interceptions on the day. It was a season low in targets for the veteran wideout, and his usage has trended downward each week of the 2023 campaign as Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell continue to dominate the target share heading into a Week 4 showdown with the Colts.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Forgettable day with one catch
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Jefferson secured one of four targets for nine yards during Sunday's 30-23 loss to the 49ers.
The emergence of the sensational duo of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell has relegated Jefferson to a tertiary role in the passing game, with Tyler Higbee and Kyren Williams also recording more targets than the veteran Jefferson during Sunday's contest. Jefferson was the target of one of Matthew Stafford's interceptions and had a drive-killing drop on third down, and his stock is trending down heading into a Week 3 showdown with the Bengals.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Just 24 yards in victory
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Jefferson secured four of five targets for 24 yards during Sunday's 30-13 win versus the Seahawks.
While Jefferson led all Rams receivers in terms of snap count, the additional work didn't contribute to anything more than a middling day from a fantasy perspective. Meanwhile, rookie Puka Nacua (10-119-0 on 15 targets) and Tutu Atwell (6-119-0 on eight targets) had monster days. Nacua in particular seems to have stepped into the Cooper Kupp (hamstring) role in the offense, and Atwell showed multiple dimensions to his game outside of his usual role as a field stretcher. A Week 2 showdown with an imposing San Francisco defense already dimmed the Jefferson's prospects, but the emergence of Nacua and Atwell as capable targets for Matthew Stafford will make it difficult to trust Jefferson in fantasy lineups.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Sleeper WRs
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Cooper Kupp (hamstring) is out for Week 1, which will force Matthew Stafford to use Jefferson and Puka Nacua in prominent roles. And I would use Jefferson as a borderline starter in three-receiver leagues. Jefferson already has a built in rapport with Stafford, and Jefferson had at least 14.8 PPR points in three of his final seven games to close the 2021 campaign. Nacua has made plays in training camp, and he seems like a rookie who could surprise this year, including in this matchup against Seattle. Nacua is worth a flier in deeper leagues as a flex option.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Week 1 Adds (WR Preview)
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Jefferson scored double-digit Fantasy points in four of his final nine contests last year and that was playing mostly without Matthew Stafford. With Stafford back and Cooper Kupp out, Jefferson should be the clear WR1 for an offense that is likely playing behind against the Seahawks. That makes him a boom/bust WR3 who is better served as a flex.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Steps into No. 1 receiver role
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Jefferson will act as the Rams' No. 1 receiver for the season opener against the Seahawks after Cooper Kupp (hamstring) was ruled out for the contest, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Atlantic reports.
After his latest setback with his injured hamstring, Kupp will sit out Week 1 and could be in store for a move to injured reserve, which would keep him sidelined through the Rams' first four games. Jefferson put up a pedestrian 21-342-2 receiving line over an eight-game stretch that covered most of Krupp's absence in 2022, albeit without Matthew Stafford at quarterback for nearly the entire period. Despite the increased involvement he's likely to see in the passing game Sunday, Jefferson doesn't necessarily shape up as a must-start fantasy option against a capable Seahawks secondary.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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Cooper Kupp (hamstring) hopefully won't be out long, but the Rams are likely without him to open the season. That should force Matthew Stafford to use Jefferson and Puka Nacua (5 percent rostered) in prominent roles, and both are worth adding in deeper leagues. Jefferson already has a built in rapport with Stafford, and Jefferson had at least 14.8 PPR points in three of his final seven games to close the 2021 campaign. Nacua has made plays in training camp, and he seems like a rookie who could surprise this year. Both are worth adding in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Should have larger role
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Jefferson could earn a larger role in 2023, as he's been healthy this offseason and is now the second-most experienced WR on the Rams' roster, Stu Jackson of the team's official website reports.
Jefferson had knee surgeries last spring and again in August, delaying his 2022 debut until Week 8 and leading to limited playing time in his first few games. He then played 46 or more snaps in each of the Rams' final eight contests and averaged 2.6 catches for 42.8 yards and 0.25 TDs on 4.5 targets. The numbers weren't bad given that he mostly played with backup QBs rather than Matthew Stafford, and Jefferson hopes things will go better this year with both him and Stafford healthy after injuries kept them off the practice field last spring/summer. Jefferson enters the final year of his rookie contract as a clear favorite for the No. 2 receiver role behind Cooper Kupp, if only because there's a glaring lack of both talent and experience in the WR room otherwise.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Seven targets in season finale
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Jefferson caught three of seven targets for 61 yards in Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to Seattle.
Jefferson led the low-octane Rams passing game in receiving yards in the season finale. The expected return of Matthew Stafford (neck) should provide Jefferson with better quarterback play in 2023, but Jefferson will likely slide down the depth chart once Cooper Kupp (ankle) is healthy. A knee injury limited Jefferson to 11 games in 2022, and the third-year wideout caught 24 of 44 targets for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Team-high receiving yardage tally
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Jefferson secured all three targets for 77 yards in the Rams' 31-10 loss to the Chargers on Sunday.
Jefferson co-led the Rams in receptions and paced the team in receiving yards during a lackluster day for the air attack overall. The third-year pro's game-long 39-yard grab was the highlight of his performance, but he recorded his other two catches -- of 16 and 22 yards -- on Los Angeles' only touchdown drive. Jefferson will aim to build on eight-game multi-reception streak in the Week 18 finale on the road versus the Seahawks.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Sees five targets in blowout win
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Jefferson had three receptions (five targets) for 19 yards in Sunday's 51-14 win over the Broncos.
Jefferson failed to post notable numbers in a game during which the Rams scored five offensive touchdowns. Perhaps the 26-year-old is best suited in a complementary role instead of being asked to be a team's top option. Jefferson will attempt to build some chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield when the Rams take on the Chargers on Sunday.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Snares game-winning grab Thursday
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Jefferson secured two of four targets for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 17-16 win over the Raiders on Thursday night.
Jefferson caught Baker Mayfield's first and last passes of the quarterback's Rams debut, hauling in a 21-yard catch on the first play of the team's second possession and a 23-yard game-tying reception with 10 seconds left that set up Matt Gay's game-winning PAT. The third-year speedster hasn't yet been able to truly capitalize on the absences of Cooper Kupp (IR-ankle) and Allen Robinson (IR-foot) and played a clear second fiddle to both Ben Skowronek and Tutu Atwell, but perhaps the scoring connection will kickstart his chemistry with Mayfield and lead to a productive stretch run.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Quiet in Sunday's loss
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Jefferson caught two of four targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 27-23 loss to the Seahawks.
Nominally the Rams' No. 1 wideout in the absence of Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Allen Robinson (foot), Jefferson once again wasn't able to produce much volume. In the last four games, including the one in which Kupp was injured, Jefferson hasn't topped three receptions or 41 yards, though he has scored two touchdowns. Despite his spot on the depth chart, he'll be a risky fantasy play in Week 14, even against the Raiders.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Week 13 Waiver Priority List
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It's hard to trust anyone for the Rams right now, but Jefferson is basically the last man standing in this receiving corps after Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Allen Robinson (foot) got hurt. Jefferson has scored in two of his past three games and finished with 11 PPR points in each of those outings. It's modest production, but he could improve if Matthew Stafford (neck) does return at some point this year. Jefferson, even without Stafford, can still be a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues, and he's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Gets into end zone Sunday
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Jefferson caught three of seven targets for 29 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-10 loss to Kansas City.
There was little production to go around in the Rams offense with Bryce Perkins making his first career NFL start at quarterback in place of Matthew Stafford (neck), but Jefferson led the team in receiving yards and scored the team's only TD. Allen Robinson (foot) has been ruled out for the rest of the season and Cooper Kupp (IR) remains on IR, so Jefferson should be the No. 1 wideout for Los Angeles in Week 13 against the Seahawks, regardless of who is under center.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Three grabs in Week 11 loss
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Jefferson brought in three of five targets for 41 yards in the Rams' 27-20 loss to the Saints on Sunday.
Jefferson was just behind co-leaders Allen Robinson and Tyler Higbee in receptions in the Rams' first game without Cooper Kupp (ankle). The speedy third-year wideout should continue to enjoy a progressively elevated role in coming weeks, but the fact Matthew Stafford was forced to re-enter concussion protocol Sunday casts doubt over the entirety of the air attack's potential for a Week 12 road battle against the Chiefs.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Needed in larger role
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Jefferson is expected to take on a larger role in the Rams passing attack after top wideout Cooper Kupp (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, Stu Jackson of the team's official site reports.
Passes to Kupp are about the only thing that's worked for the Rams offense this season, with the star receiver averaging 10.9 targets and 90.2 receiving yards per game. Jefferson didn't catch any passes in his first two weeks back in the lineup after missing six games while recovering from minor knee surgery, but he then recorded three receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown in the Week 10 loss to Arizona. He'll now have an opportunity to see more snaps alongside Allen Robinson and Ben Skowronek. Jefferson played only 17 snaps (28 percent) last week, which actually was a decrease from the previous two games (53 percent in Week 8, 35 percent in Week 9). If Jefferson struggles this Sunday at New Orleans, the Rams could also give Lance McCutcheon, Brandon Powell or Tutu Atwell more looks.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Week 11 Waiver Priority List
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Cooper Kupp (ankle) is now on injured reserve, and we'll see if that helps Jefferson moving forward. He just had his best game of the season in Week 10 against Arizona with three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown on three targets, with all of his production coming after Kupp was hurt. Matthew Stafford (concussion) was out against the Cardinals also, so we'll see if Stafford's return can help Jefferson produce at a high level. Just based on upside, I would rather have Jefferson than Robinson for the rest of the year. It's worth adding Jefferson for 10-15 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Hauls in TD in loss
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Jefferson caught all three of his targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Cardinals.
After being held without a catch in his first two games of the season after recovering from knee surgery and coming off injured reserve, Jefferson finally made an impact. All three of his receptions came late in the fourth quarter after Cooper Kupp (ankle) had exited the game. If Kupp is forced to miss a Week 11 clash with the Saints, Jefferson could find himself with a significant role in the offense whether Matthew Stafford (concussion) or John Wolford is under center.
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Rams' Van Jefferson: Active in Week 9
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Jefferson (knee) is active for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
In the wake of his season debut last Sunday against the 49ers, Jefferson was limited in practice Wednesday through Friday due to a preexisting knee issue. Now that the Rams have confirmed his availability for Week 9, he's a candidate to eat into Ben Skowronek's role as the team's third wide receiver behind Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Allen Robinson, though Jefferson still is in search of his first target of the campaign.
