Will T.J. Hockenson Play Tonight? Fantasy Football Injury Update For 'Thursday Night Football'

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) is drawing closer to his return. So close, in fact, that you may not have to read another article about whether or not he's coming back from his injury again after this week! Please don't let that be a jinx, please stay healthy Hock, we love you.

He tore his ACL on Christmas Eve of 2023, and it will probably feel like Christmas Day for he and his fantasy managers when he finally steps on the field again. He's a bit ahead of schedule in his recovery (10 months to the day today). While he may not deliver a miraculous performance right out of the gate, it's amazing to see him (nearly) returning.

So, will Hock play football tonight on Thursday night? Here is the latest injury update regarding Hockenson.

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T.J. Hockenson Fantasy Football Injury Update

UPDATE: Hockenson has been ruled out for Week 8

He's officially listed as "Questionable" on the Vikings injury report. He logged three straight limited practices from Monday to Wednesday. It would have been nice to see him practice in full, and the fact that he didn't cast some doubt on whether he will return, but we may not know until the final list of inactive players is released.

#Vikings TJ Hockenson - LP x2. Most often see FP prior to return. Lean towards sitting Wk 8, return Wk 9#Seahawks DK Metcalf - Wk 8 TBD. Data favors sitting, return Wk 9. Suspect workload limitations if active#49ers Brandon Aiyuk - Avg = 11 months. Likely return ~Sept

3/10

— Deepak Chona, MD. SportsMedAnalytics (@SportMDAnalysis) October 24, 2024

Fantasy managers should have their backup plans ready. Perhaps he would have had a better chance playing if the game were on Sunday. He must be elevated to the active roster ahead of Week 9. Many teams open practice windows with the intention of using the full time to get the player back up to speed.

A questionable designation could have been given with the intention of playing mind games against the Vikings' opponent this week, the Los Angeles Rams. Hockenson is one of the NFL's best tight ends and a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

T.J. Hockenson Fantasy Football Injury Impact

The Rams defense is bad this year, and it's especially bad against tight ends. The presence of No. 87 would significantly strain LA's defensive unit. It will still be a tough matchup for them if he doesn't play, though. There may not be a huge difference in the overall offense, especially considering he'd likely be load-limited in his first game back.

If TJ Hockenson starts, I want to get involved. pic.twitter.com/B5dOcjLIMr

— Dustin Belletty (@DustnSellsDestn) October 24, 2024

He would potentially siphon a few targets away from the other pass-catchers if he played, but potentially create opportunities for more by helping sustain drives. All of Minnesota's key offensive players should be started if they play, though.

If he does play, look for him to be ramped up in activity over the first few weeks he starts. He'll have a better chance of making a big impact on games once he has a full workload.

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