India, Oct. 1 -- The Minnesota Vikings will open their Week 4 preparations without Justin Jefferson participating in practice, although head coach Kevin O'Connell remains optimistic about the star wide receiver's ankle injury.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, September 30, O'Connell confirmed that Jefferson would sit out practice and described his status as day-to-day. Jefferson suffered an ankle sprain during Minnesota's Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"Justin Jefferson, no practice. He is day-to-day," the Vikings coach said. "It's an ankle sprain. We were encouraged about what it actually is. Now it's just about working through it. He's such an explosive athlete that we'll obviously get him to a place where he can go," O'...