T.J. Hockenson has been a stalwart in fantasy football lineups up to this point of the season, and he appears set to continue being a top-tier option despite the QB change from Kirk Cousins to Joshua Dobbs.
However, a rib/oblique injury has hindered Hockenson in practice this week. What’s the latest news regarding the veteran TE, and is he set to suit up in Week 10?
Is T.J. Hockenson Going To Play Week 10?
All indications as of early Sunday morning are that Hockenson is prepared to be active for the Minnesota Vikings this week after being limited in practice all week. However, a new report came out from Ed Werder of ESPN that indicates Hockenson may only be on the field for key situations versus his normal snap count.
If Hockenson is truly only going to be on the field for a set amount of snaps, his ceiling becomes severely limited. One of the main draws for Hockenson from a fantasy football standpoint is his opportunity and ability to soak up targets in this Vikings offense, especially with Justin Jefferson sidelined at least one more week.
If he’s only out there on key third downs or in red-zone situations, Hockenson becomes a bit boom-or-bust for fantasy this week. Especially with Dobbs getting his first start as the Vikings’ this week, there’s a lot of volatility associated with Hockenson this week against the New Orleans Saints that normally isn’t a part of the equation.
Potential Fantasy Options If Hockenson Is Limited Include Jonnu Smith, Cade Otton, and David Njoku
Even with Hockenson being limited this week from a snap-count perspective — and health — he’s still a solid start given the state of the TE position. There aren’t many players that command the number of targets that Hockenson does when he’s on the field, so he should still be viewed as a top-12 tight end option.
With that being said, if you’re concerned about the lack of opportunity on the field for the talented TE this week, you can pivot to one of these options on the waiver wire.
Jonnu Smith has quietly become a preferred option in the Atlanta Falcons’ passing attack, and he has a fine matchup in front of him this week against the Arizona Cardinals’ deficient defense. He’s just outside of my top 12 tight ends going into this Sunday’s action.
Additionally, David Njoku was a bit of a disappointment for fantasy football through the early part of the season, but he’s been a consistent option in lineups here over the past couple of weeks. He can be viewed as a fine replacement option if you’re in this predicament.
Finally, Cade Otton had a breakout performance last week against the Houston Texans, and he has another favorable matchup in front of him this week against the Tennessee Titans. Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ passing attack should be able to take advantage of a plus matchup, and Otton’s a fine streaming option.
MORE: Katz’s Fantasy Week 10 TE Start/Sit
If any of these players are available on your waiver wire, they’re fine to plug in as a replacement for Hockenson if you’re truly concerned. Still, Hockenson remains the best option of the bunch to roll with due to his talent level and guaranteed role in the hierarchy of the Vikings’ receiving weapons when they’re on the field.
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