Do the Vikings really need Justin Jefferson to beat the Bears?

Look, I have Justin Jefferson on my fantasy team. He helped me win a championship last season. I am not clamoring for his return from his hamstring injury to boost my title defense.

All you geniuses out there (hat tip to Sid) who are screaming at Jefferson to play on Monday to help your teams should be screaming at yourselves for not assembling a deeper roster. I've won the past seven games in my league because I have a bench. Be better at fantasy football.

While we are at it, be better at social media. Anyone who yaps at a professional athlete for hurting their fantasy team — or yaps at them for anything — practices anti-social media. Athletes who join a social media platform immediately learn the value of not monitoring it in-season or how to block idiots because of some of the disgusting messages fans have hurled at them. Someone suggested to then-Twins catcher Mitch Garver in 2018 that he should die.

"I'm just tired of it," Jefferson told reporters last week about the social media aggression. "It's frustrating. It's draining to want to be out there on the field, wanting to play and all these other sources saying things that are not true on how you're feeling. It's a crazy situation. It is what it is."

Jefferson could be activated by 3 p.m. Monday, in time for the Vikings game against Chicago. If there's any question about his readiness (he has yet to complete a full practice), the Vikings should sit him out one more week, use the bye week for additional recovery and then play him in Week 13 at Las Vegas. Bringing him back a week too soon could cost him the rest of the season.

On Saturday, the Vikings announced Jefferson as questionable for Monday's game. The expectation is that he won't play, but coaches love to keep opponents guessing through the injury report.

There is a better argument for starting Jefferson on Monday than padding fantasy stats: He could help the Vikings win the NFC North.

Green Bay did on Thanksgiving what the Bears were unable to do four days prior: defeat the Lions at Ford Field. That dropped Detroit's record to 8-3, two games ahead of the 6-5 Vikings with two games left between the teams. Detroit should be 7-4, but Chicago's historic fourth-quarter collapse allowed Detroit to rally from a 26-14 deficit with four minutes left to play. For once, Vikings fans can thank the Packers for something. And shame on you, Chicago.

After being in control of the division for several weeks, the Lions look as vulnerable as ever. Detroit ends its schedule with two Vikings games sandwiched around a date with the high-flying Cowboys. The door has cracked open for a Vikings squad that started the season 0-3 — and a healthy Jefferson can fuel that cause by getting on the end of a few passes from the Rocket Man at QB.

The prudent thing to do is to wait through the bye week before activating their primary offensive weapon. Respect the process.

Do the Vikings really need Jefferson to beat the Bears, a team that has committed self-inflicted damage all season?

Two coaches have left during the season for reasons that involved the human resources department. The Bears still don't know if Justin Fields is their quarterback going forward. The defense has been better of late but has not taken off under a defensive head coach in Matt Eberflus. T.J. Hockenson should thrive against Chicago's Tampa 2 defense.

The best strategy when playing the Bears is to allow them to either be tied or lead going into the fourth quarter. The Purple will have them right where they want them.

So who cares if fantasy geeks (raises hand) are rankled by Jefferson resting one more week to join the playoff hunt at his best? Hit the waiver wire for another receiver.

Let the Vikings keep Fields in the pocket. Win on Monday, enjoy the bye week, then unleash No. 18 on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas.