T.J. Hockenson was a first-round pick in 2019 and had moments with the Lions that showed a fantasy football ceiling. The good games have been more sporadic since joining the Vikings, and while an offensive change in Minnesota is happening, this is a profile to be cautious with.
Should I Draft T.J. Hockenson in Fantasy Football?
Hock was able to stay on the field for most of 2025 (15 games) after missing seven the year prior, but the results were spotty. He scored just three times and while the QB play gets blamed for the Justin Jefferson struggles, I’m not willing to give their tight end the same benefit of the doubt.
It’s been more than three years since the last time Hockenson had a 35-yard catch, something that suggests that Father Time has his claws in more than an isolated QB situation.
Kyler Murray will start the season under center for this team and, yes, that naturally brings with it far more upside than what we saw last season. But are we just overlooking how his time ended in Arizona?
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Trey McBride scored five times on 1,054 routes run with Murray under center and 12 times on 892 with all other options. I think we all feel pretty good about the talent he possesses, thus making his struggles more of a Murray red flag than anything.
Hockenson’s name is far greater than his actual fantasy appeal these days. If you like Minnesota to level up on the offensive side of the ball, I’d suggest taking a stand on Jordan Mason, Jordan Addison, or Jauan Jennings. There are paths to this offense living up to the projected growth, I just don’t see them running through Hockenson in a way that matters for most formats.
Soppe’s TE Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Trey McBride | ARI
- Brock Bowers | LV
- Colston Loveland | CHI
- Tucker Kraft | GB
- Tyler Warren | IND
- George Kittle | SF
- Sam LaPorta | DET
- Harold Fannin Jr. | CLE
- Isaiah Likely | NYG
- Kyle Pitts Sr. | ATL
- Juwan Johnson | NO
- Jake Ferguson | DAL
- Mark Andrews | BAL
- Dallas Goedert | PHI
- Travis Kelce | KC
- Hunter Henry | NE
- Chig Okonkwo | WAS
- Dalton Kincaid | BUF
- Dalton Schultz | HOU
- Brenton Strange | JAX
- Kenyon Sadiq | NYJ
- Terrance Ferguson | LAR
- Greg Dulcich | MIA
- Evan Engram | DEN
- Oronde Gadsden II | LAC
- AJ Barner | SEA
- Cade Otton | TB
- Gunnar Helm | TEN
- T.J. Hockenson | MIN
- Theo Johnson | NYG
- Mason Taylor | NYJ
- Jake Tonges | SF
