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Week 8 of the NFL season is upon us, and the fantasy chatter is buzzing with anticipation around Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson. Before a cruel twist of fate caused him to suffer a torn ACL and PCL at the tail end of the 2023 season, Hockenson was a fantasy darling, hauling in 95 receptions for 960 yards and finding the end zone five times.
Now, after months of rehab and recovery whispers from the grapevine suggest Hockenson is on the brink of strapping on his helmet and hitting the gridiron once again. Fantasy managers who've been holding onto him like a precious gem are on the edge of their seats. Will Hockenson slide right back into his role as a top-tier tight end, or will the shadows of his injury linger, tempering his explosiveness upon his return?
The silver lining for Hockenson managers in fantasy is that they drafted him knowing he was already injured to start 2024, but given the dip to some of the elite tight ends this year, a healthy Hock could be a fantasy goldmine. So, when should we expect him to play his first game of 2024?
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T.J. Hockenson Fantasy Football Injury Update
Last week was almost the week for Hockenson to make his grand re-entrance onto the field. He was tagged as questionable right up until game day against the Detroit Lions before the Vikings decided to rest him. But if we're reading the tea leaves right, based on the latest from head coach Kevin O'Connell, it sounds like the countdown to Hockenson's return is nearly over.
According to @alec_lewis, he is 50/50 on if #Vikings TE TJ Hockenson (ACL) returns on TNF against the #Rams, he said on the @AlecLewisShow.
Minnesota is taking a long term approach with Hockenson’s recovery. If he does play on Thursday, Lewis notes that Hockenson would… pic.twitter.com/ESMILf9Orv
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 22, 2024
With the Vikings licking their wounds after their first loss of the season against the Lions and facing a quick turnaround for a Thursday night clash against the Rams, the stars might just be aligning for Hockenson's comeback.
T.J. Hockenson Fantasy Football Injury Impact
The buzz is that physically, Hockenson is ready to roll. What better stage for a comeback than a prime-time Thursday night game at SoFi Stadium, right? The Vikings are heading into what seems like a favorable matchup against the Rams, and reintroducing Hockenson could provide just the spark they need to bounce back from last week's setback.
Kevin O'Connell: "Very much a possibility" T.J. Hockenson returns this week. https://t.co/viR4ox0wFL
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 22, 2024
For fantasy managers, this could be the moment to watch closely. Hockenson's return could shake things up not just for Minnesota's offense, but for fantasy rosters everywhere. If you're hurting at tight end, having Hock back might just be that final boost you need to get over the hump.
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