As the 2026 season approaches, Jefferson's status as the Vikings' top pass catcher is secure, but it remains to be seen who will be throwing him the ball come Week 1.
Former Cardinal Kyler Murray was brought in to compete with J.J. McCarthy, and according to coach Kevin O'Connell, it's possible that the team's looming QB competition could extend into the preseason, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports. Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, is viewed as the favorite to win the job, and if that ends up being the outcome, he'd be Minnesota's fourth different Week 1 starter in the past four seasons. Subpar QB play hampered Jefferson's fantasy upside in 2025, but if Murray seizes the top job and engineers a bounce-back season of his own in the process, the four-time Pro Bowler stands to benefit.