There are a lot of fantasy managers out there who are staring at their starting lineups with tears in their eyes as we enter Week 6. There have already been a few injuries this year, but Week 5 was brutal for a lot of NFL players. One of the top players in fantasy was one of them. Justin Jefferson, stud WR for the Minnesota Vikings, was put on IR and will miss at least four weeks.
What do we do with him now?
Fantasy Football Trade Advice: Justin Jefferson
Redraft
In redraft leagues, my plan is fairly simple. If you can, I’d prefer to hold him and wait out the injury. Most leagues have IR spots that you can utilize for situations like this to pick someone else up without dropping him. I’m fine doing this and waiting it out because I doubt you’ll get a fair return in most redraft leagues. You likely spent a top pick on him, and I doubt that anyone is going to give you that same value back now that he’s hurt.
That being said, if you’re 1-4 or 2-3, you might want to send some offers out for other players to tide you over until Jefferson comes back. Maybe you can trade some RB depth for Kj Osborn or Jordan Addison as a direct replacement. Diontae Johnson should be returning from IR himself here soon and could be a good short-term option. Maybe you can go out and check the price on players like Nico Collins or Puka Nacua, who were likely later picks or waiver additions for their current manager.
All this to say that I’d much rather send depth elsewhere to add WR depth than send Jefferson away in redraft leagues. He’s just too good to give up on, even if he misses four weeks. If you’re over .500, you’re probably fine holding on anyway.
Still, if someone sends you a monster offer, I would definitely consider it. Either way, my preference is to hold on and wait it out. At the very least, he won’t get more hurt while he’s sitting out, so maybe he’ll be back and better than ever as the season wraps up, right when you need him most.
Dynasty Advice
In dynasty leagues, the advice is a little trickier and much more nuanced. The first thing I would consider is how active the league is. If your league rarely trades or you feel like trades are difficult to get done, you might be stuck and without very many options. While that’s unfortunate, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Send a few offers for players who can help you now and see if you can get fair value in a trade where you send Jefferson away.
If you’re contending, and Jefferson was likely helping you to do that, then I think trading him away might be the right move. If I can pivot from Jefferson to Ja’Marr Chase, I’ll gladly do that. Chase will be scoring points while Jefferson is on your bench. If you want points, you want Chase. I’d even be fine sending Jefferson and a small piece to get Chase if needed. Those two are just so close in value that I don’t mind pivoting for the points.
If you can’t get Chase, perhaps you can make a move for some other WRs who are filling Jefferson’s spot on the Vikings roster. I would look at it like a redraft league and send depth elsewhere to add depth at WR to tide you over. Maybe a smaller trade can get you through the next few weeks and still keep the core of your team intact.
If you’re rebuilding, then you’re holding. Full stop. No reason to send him away while he’s not scoring points. The better idea is to send offers to add Jefferson to your roster if you don’t have him already. If you’re looking to the future and you have someone like Chase or Amon-Ra St. Brown, maybe this is your time to tier up and get Jefferson. I’d at least send an offer to see what the current Jefferson manager is looking for. If nothing else, they now know you’re interested in case they do want out.
Bottom Line
The short version is it’s probably best to hold on and ride out this injury unless you can still get true value for him. Don’t accept any discounts; Jefferson is still Jefferson, and that’s worth a lot. Don’t panic, even if you’re under .500. Whenever he returns, you’ll be glad you held on. This game can be fickle and frustrating, but you can still win without Jefferson in your lineup. Just keep playing, keep grinding and hopefully, luck will be on your side.
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