The Vikings' offense belongs to Sam Darnold, and it's hard to argue it's not easily the best situation the former No. 3 pick has ever found himself in.
Working behind two strong offensive tackles, Darnold has Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in his arsenal, as well as Aaron Jones out of the backfield. The situation will get even better when TE T.J. Hockenson is ready to play.
That day for Hockenson is still a bit of a ways away, however. The former Lions tight end is still recovering from ACL and MCL tears suffered in Week 16 last season, forcing him to spend the offseason rehabbing.
Here are the latest details on Hockenson's status and fantasy outlook as he works to get back on the field.
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T.J. Hockenson injury update
Hockenson will start the season on the PUP list, meaning he isn't eligible to return until Week 5. That puts Hockenson's earliest possible return date as Oct. 6 against the Jets in London.
How likely is it that he would be ready to go in Week 5? There isn't any firm timeline for Hockenson's return, but ESPN's Dan Graziano reported earlier in August that the Vikings are expecting Hockenson back at some point during the first half. That means an October return is at least on the table.
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ESPN's Adam Schefter reiterated Tuesday that Minnesota expects Hockenson to play this season.
Minnesota is leaving TE T.J. Hockenson on the Physically Unable to Perform List, which means he is ineligible to be active during the first four games of the season, per sources. Hockenson still is recovering from last season’s torn ACL but is expected to return this season. pic.twitter.com/yic1seDyka
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2024
One possible target could be Oct. 20, simply because the Vikings have their bye after the Oct. 6 matchup in London. Minnesota will have a chance to reset after London, and that could include a return for Hockenson against his former team in Week 7 if all goes well with his recovery.
Hockenson tore both his ACL and MCL in Week 16 last season. Between the injury occurring in late December and two ligaments being affected, it was always expected that Hockenson would have a tough time returning in the early weeks of the season.
Vikings TE depth chart
| TE | Player |
| 1 | T.J. Hockenson* |
| 2 | Johnny Mundt |
| 3 | Josh Oliver |
| 4 | Nick Muse |
| 5 | Robert Tonyan |
* - Will start season on PUP list.
With Hockenson out at least four weeks, there is no clear and obvious No. 1 tight end in Minnesota.
Mundt is next up on the depth chart after seven years in the NFL and two with the Vikings. He posted 172 yards and a touchdown on 17 catches in a backup role last season and has plenty of experience in Kevin O'Connell's system between Minnesota and Los Angeles, giving him an edge.
Oliver, a fifth-year pro, set a career high with 213 yards and two touchdowns in his first season with the Vikings and could be in line for a larger role as long as Hockenson is out.
Muse, a 2022 seventh-round pick, has only one career catch, while Tonyan has 148 NFL catches but likely faces a tough path to making the Vikings' final roster even with Hockenson on the PUP list.
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T.J. Hockenson fantasy outlook
Hockenson sits 16th in SN's PPR and 18th in SN's standard fantasy football rankings among all tight ends.
The injury is going to keep Hockenson off the field until at least October, which is what diminishes his overall value. If you're comfortable stashing him for a portion of the season, though, Hockenson could be a solid value. He easily set a career-high with 95 catches in his first full season as a Viking, proving to be a major part of Kevin O'Connell's offense.
There are reasons to believe he won't be used quite as heavily once he returns this season. The Vikings will likely try to ease him into the fold, and some of that production came as a result of Jefferson's injury. Minnesota also has a bit of an uncertain quarterback situation with Darnold under center and may lean on the run game a bit more with Jones in the fold.
As long as you're not expecting Hockenson to step in and be an instant game-changer, though, he's talented enough to provide some real value down the stretch, serving as an every-week TE with TE1 upside in the right matchups.
