Fantasy football managers have dealt with an endless stream of injuries to key players so far this season, and it appears as though there’s now another situation to manage with Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson as we head into Week 10.
What’s the latest news on the veteran tight end, and should fantasy managers need to start making a backup plan in case he isn’t able to suit up? Let’s find out.
Latest Injury Update on T.J. Hockenson
During the Vikings’ thrilling victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, Hockenson appeared to suffer a rib injury at one point, but he fought through it and was able to finish the game.
QB Joshua Dobbs has provided a jolt to this offense that certainly needed it after the news that former starter QB Kirk Cousins was done for the year with an Achilles injury. Hockenson’s rest-of-season outlook appears to be a lock to remain within the top-five conversation.
MORE: 2023 TE Fantasy Football Rankings
Heading into preparation for Week 10’s bout against the New Orleans Saints, though, Hockenson has been hampered by this rib/oblique injury and has logged a limited practice on Wednesday and appeared to be in quite a bit of discomfort during practice on Thursday.
We’ll await the official practice designation for Hockenson before reacting too strongly, but this will be something to monitor as we move throughout the week.
Will Hockenson Play This Week?
According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Hockenson’s certainly at less than 100%, but the talented TE is planning on suiting up this Sunday against New Orleans. It’s still only Thursday, though, at the time of writing, and plenty can change as the week progresses.
We’ll need to monitor the practice reports for Hockenson closely as we get closer and closer to kickoff on Sunday. Make sure to check back in frequently, as we’ll update this piece with the latest news and information as soon as it becomes available.
What Does This Mean For Hockenson’s Fantasy Ranking?
Even if Hockenson is able to make it back in time for this matchup against the Saints in Week 10, he’s almost certainly not going to be at 100% as he battles through this injury. With that being said, the TE position is so incredibly volatile that it’s going to be hard to pivot to a different option as long as Hockenson is active.
His role in the offense with WR Justin Jefferson still sidelined is too prominent to go elsewhere, especially to the waiver wire, in your fantasy league. If you have another top-10 option, it’s worth exploring whether or not you should still start Hockenson or the other player in our free Start/Sit Optimizer as we get closer to Sunday.
Otherwise, Hockenson is most likely still a lock for your starting lineup unless we see him downgraded in practice here throughout the remainder of the week. Make sure to stay tuned to our PFN Consensus Rankings here to see where exactly he lands as you set your starting lineups this week.
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