Playing receiver in an offense that has Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is not easy even if you're the third option. Heck, there's also TJ Hockenson getting targets which has made life difficult for former Michigan State star Jalen Nailor.
While he wasn't exactly expected to be a breakout star for the Vikings this season, he was supposed to put up better numbers in 2024 than in his first two years in the league.
While Nailor's role has definitely increased, he hasn't quite had the year he hoped.
Still, he's been pushing for more targets. His role has decreased since early in the season when he was bumped up to the No. 2 role because of injuries, but he hadn't had more than three targets in a game since Oct. 24 against the Rams. The week before that, he caught four passes for 76 yards against the Lions.
Until Week 17, his performance against the Lions was arguably the best of his career and easily his best of the season. That changed against the Packers on Sunday afternoon.
Nailor had to battle for targets with Hockenson, Jefferson, and Addison but he took advantage of his five, catching all of them for 81 yards and a touchdown in a 27-25 win.
This was the second-most yards he's ever recorded in a single game in his NFL career with the first being 86 back during his rookie year in 2022 against the same Packers. This was his career-high for receptions and he's now up to six touchdown catches this season.
Jalen Nailor’s 6th touchdown of the year!
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) December 29, 2024
He’s one of the best players that nobody knows about. pic.twitter.com/52R6Um0DWw
On the year now, Nailor has 361 yards and six touchdowns on 20 catches. Not too shabby for the No. 3 receiver on a Super Bowl contender.