The Vikings offense will need to make another change now that Justin Jefferson is back.

EAGAN — The Madden video game makes it incredibly simple to add a player back into the lineup following an injury, assuming you don’t turn injuries off. All you have to do is position him on the depth chart, and the game will take care of the rest. Would that it were that simple.

The offensive coaching staff of the Minnesota Vikings will have to make their third major on-the-fly adjustment of the season when they get back Justin Jefferson. First in a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when Jefferson was injured, and then in a Week 8 Lambeau Field game when Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. The best receiver in the NFL needs to return as they prepare to play the Raiders in Vegas.

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips asked, “Now that we are back in the world of — now that [the defense] knows that Justin is back, how is the coverage going to adjust potentially with him out there on early downs, third downs, and red zone?” We need to get back into the habit of paying closer attention to the ways in which coverage can be skewed or rolled in his favor. They will be aware of his alignment and where he is.

Anyone would be happy to have a player like Jefferson in the mix after he went 5-2 and finished ninth in points scored while recovering from a hamstring injury, but it’s important to note how Jefferson-centric the offense was when he was healthy. Jefferson gained 571 yards in the first five weeks of play, surpassing the combined totals of rising star rookie Jordan Addison and Pro Bowl tight end TJ Hockenson. Hockenson and Addison have combined for 17 targets and 138 yards per game since the injury.