T.J. Hockenson — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

During his seven games with Detroit in 2022, Hockenson functioned as a deep tight end threat, averaging 15.2 yards per catch on his way to 26 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns on 43 targets. A single Week 4 explosion (8/179/2) accounted for a large chunk of that production. After being dealt to Minnesota, his role shifted. He became a reliable checkdown option for Kirk Cousins, recording at least five catches in eight of his 12 appearances, including the postseason, with two big games (13/109/2 and 10/129) mixed in. His combined season resulted in career bests across catches (86), receiving yards (914), and targets (129), and he finished second among tight ends in PPR scoring at 216.40 points.

His first full season in Minnesota only built on his previous foundation. Hockenson set new career highs in catches (95) and receiving yards (960), turning 13 of those receptions into gains of 20 or more yards despite working primarily underneath at 10.1 yards per catch. Hockenson was productive from the jump in 2023, posting three straight games with at least seven catches (8/35, 7/66/2, and 8/78), and his two best outings (11/86 and 11/134/1) both came at home. The Vikings gave him double-digit targets four times while averaging 8.5 looks per game. In Week 16, after just 24 snaps, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee and underwent surgery in late January.

His rehab process moved more slowly than anticipated, keeping him out of Minnesota's first seven games of 2024. He returned to play in 11 contests, including the postseason, catching 46 of 67 targets for 519 yards and one touchdown. His three strongest outings — Week 10 (8/72), Week 12 (7/114), and a playoff showing (5/64/1) offered a glimpse of his former reliability, even if the overall numbers reflected a player still working his way back.

Hockenson went down as a fantasy liability last year, reflective of the poor passing attack of the Vikings. He scored over 10.00 fantasy points in only four matchups (5/49/1, 6/43, 6/59, and 4/66) while seeing more than six targets in only one game (9). His catch rate (77.2%) graded well, but Hockenson worked mostly as a late dump off options (8.6 yards per catch) on many plays. Twenty-five other tight ends outscored him in PPR fantasy points (112.80).