RADIO
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) is a fantastic player both in real football and in fantasy football scoring columns. As one of the best tight ends in the league, his presence has been sorely missed by his team. It has gone 5-0 without him, but it'll need him down the stretch.
He's a stud playmaker and will give defenses nightmares, especially playing alongside wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The trio will form one of the best pass-catching groups the league has to offer.
So will T.J. Hockenson return to the field and play for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7?
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Is T.J. Hockenson Playing in Week 7?
The Vikings haven't announced his official return date yet, but it is possible they could hold him out of Week 7. While signs were pointing to this game being his return, Minnesota could opt to hold him out an additional week since it plays its Week 8 game on Thursday night.
Do not expect to see @Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson play on Sunday against the #Lions, per @BenGoessling via @AccessVikings.
Although Goessling does not expect Hockeson to play Sunday, his status for TNF against the #Rams is TBD.
“I think they are mindful of the fact that it's the… pic.twitter.com/7IXbuNKEJR
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 17, 2024
It might not make total sense to get Hock back on the field for his first game back from a torn ACL, then have him be forced to play again just four days after that. The revenge game makes sense, but the short turnaround doesn't, and fantasy managers should expect to be without their star tight end for yet another week.
He must be elevated to the active roster by October 25 or he will land on season-ending injured reserve, per NFL rules. So if he doesn't play in Week 7, his debut will occur in Week 8 when the Vikings take on the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Fantasy managers should look for a pivot.
T.J. Hockenson Week 7 Fantasy Football Outlook
It's not looking like he will take the field in Week 7. However, when he does return, he should be a locked-in starter in all fantasy leagues that feature a tight-end position. He's a near-lock for TE1 numbers when healthy in head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense, and an incredibly valuable fantasy asset.
There’s 0 tight ends that I’m taking before TJ Hockenson in dynasty, he is the undisputed TE1 for me
✅ massive new contract
✅ unmatched athleticism
✅ big play ability
✅ youngest star at the positionHock is the truth.
— Football Fanatics (@FFB_Fanatics) August 31, 2023
His quick return to action means he'll complete his ramp-up in activity and should reach his full workload in a few weeks (these ramp-ups are common for players returning from torn ACLs). There isn't much analysis that needs to be done on a player who's had three top-5 finishes at his position in the previous four seasons.
When he does return to the field, he should return to your fantasy lineups as well.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis
