T.J. Hockenson, one of the best tight ends in the NFL, hasn’t played for the Minnesota Vikings this season. But there are encouraging updates on the star tight end, who could be nearing a return. Let’s go over everything we know about Hockenson’s injury, including his return timeline.
What Is T.J. Hockenson’s Injury?
Updated at 4:30 PM on Thursday, October 24
We’ll have to wait another week for T.J. Hockenson as he has been ruled inactive for Week 8’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Hockenson suffered a torn ACL and MCL during a game against the Detroit Lions last December. The injury ended what was a fantastic season for Hockenson, who racked up 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games. The receptions and yards both were career-high totals.
It was a brutal blow for Hockenson, who appeared in all 17 games in 2022. He previously suffered a season-ending thumb injury in 2021 and a season-ending ankle injury as a rookie in 2019.
Hockenson began the 2024 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, requiring him to miss at least the first four games.
How Long Will Hockenson Be Sidelined?
That remains to be seen — but he’s getting close.
Hockenson returned to practice on Friday, Oct. 4, when the Vikings opened his 21-day return window. Minnesota has until Friday, Oct. 25, to add Hockenson to the 53-man roster. If the deadline passes without Hockenson being activated, he’ll be forced to sit the rest of the season.
The Vikings will visit the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, and it sounds like Hockenson could suit up. He participated in practice on Monday and Tuesday.
“It’s early. We’ll make that determination kind of as these next couple of days,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday when asked about Hockenson. “As we put together game plans, we want to have a good feel for that. But very much a possibility.”
The tight end practiced in a limited capacity all last week before being inactive for Minnesota’s loss to the Detroit Lions. The Vikings might’ve wanted to avoid forcing Hockenson to play on short rest this week.
So, how should fantasy managers handle a tight end returning from such a serious injury?
Fantasy Outlook for Hockenson
Whenever Hockenson returns, he’ll deserve a spot in fantasy lineups unless managers are fortunate enough to have better options. Even if Hockenson takes a while to shake off the rust, he’ll offer more upside than most players at one of fantasy’s bleakest positions. Even 60% of Hockenson is better than 100% of many tight ends started in fantasy each week.
Still, managers should temper expectations for a player coming off a serious knee injury. Furthermore, we have no idea whether Hockenson will have nearly as good of chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold as he did with Kirk Cousins.
As for other Vikings tight ends, don’t bother.
Johnny Mundt leads Minnesota tight ends this season with 13 catches on 18 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown, and 31 of those yards came in one game. He’s not a viable fantasy tight end. Ditto for Josh Oliver, who posted just five catches for 42 yards and one TD in the first six games
Of course, Hockenson is a different story. Once he’s back, start him with confidence.
