T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Dallas Goedert are two of the biggest names among tight ends in the NFL. But Hockenson is coming off an injury that will have him miss the start of the season, while Goedert is a key player in potentially the most explosive NFL offense.
Here is the fantasy football outlook for both players heading into the 2024 season.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for T.J. Hockenson
Hockenson is the TE14 in Pro Football Network’s consensus fantasy football rankings as of Aug. 28. His ranking may seem low at first glance, considering how productive he was last season, but other factors have no doubt played into this.
For starters, Hockenson is still working his way back from an ACL injury at the end of last season and will begin this season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, forcing him to miss the first four games.
In addition, when Hockenson does return, he’ll have a much different quarterback throwing him the ball. Kirk Cousins is with the Atlanta Falcons now, and the Vikings’ starter will be Sam Darnold.
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On the field, Hockenson had one of the best seasons amongst tight ends in 2023. He finished with nearly 100 receptions (95) and 1,000 receiving yards (960) in 15 games. It’s fair to assume with a full season, he’d have topped both marks.
Hockenson’s 14.6 fantasy points per game last season was second among tight ends, and his overall fantasy scoring (219 points) ranked fourth.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Dallas Goedert
Goedert’s ranking amongst the PFN consensus is a couple of spots higher at TE12. He’s coming off another good, yet not spectacular, 2023 season. His 9.7 fantasy points per game ranked just outside the top 10 for tight ends (12th).
It was another steady, consistent performance from Goedert, who, over the last five seasons, hasn’t averaged fewer than 9.6 fantasy points per game but has never reached 12 on average.
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And while his numbers have been consistently decent, Goedert hasn’t had a breakout season, and it’s fair to wonder if that will ever happen. His last five seasons have seen him never go under 46 receptions in a season, and yet, he’s still in search of his first season with 60+ catches.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
Both Hockenson and Goedert have injury concerns attached to them. For Hockenson, it’s his ACL injury that will keep him out until Week 5 at least. For Goedert, it’s a career that has seen him play a full schedule just once in six seasons (his rookie 2018 season).
Both also have concerns over how much they will be featured this season. Hockenson’s numbers last season were at their best when wide receiver Justin Jefferson was out of the lineup. However, not only is Jefferson back, but the Vikings also added a big-time pass-catching running back in Aaron Jones.
As for Goedert, he’s part of an offense that is still dominated by the dual-threat capabilities of quarterback Jalen Hurts. And during the offseason (and training camp), the Eagles upgraded the offense by adding Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Jahan Dotson.
Choosing between Hockenson and Goedert would be difficult for any fantasy manager. But if I don’t mind taking a risk, I’d be more inclined to select Hockenson and store him away until he’s good to go. The potential upside is just far better than Goedert.
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