Hockenson is expected to make his 2024 debut in Week 9 against the Colts, and hopefully he's ready to make a strong contribution for the Vikings and Fantasy managers right away. Indianapolis is No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and four tight ends have scored at least 12.4 PPR points against the Colts this year. Hopefully, Hockenson doesn't need to shake off the rust from the knee injury he suffered in Week 16 last season, and he could return as a weekly starter for Fantasy managers to close out the year.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Logs full practice Wednesday
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Hockenson (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.
After the Vikings designated Hockenson for return from the reserve/PUP list on Oct. 4, they had two chances to activate him for game action but opted not to do so. The team then brought him back to the active roster last Friday, and he now is practicing without limitations for the first time since tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee last December. Hockenson thus has reclaimed his spot atop the depth chart at tight end for Minnesota as the team begins preparations for Sunday's contest agains the Colts.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Activated from PUP list
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Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced Friday that Hockenson (knee) has been activated from the reserve/PUP list.
In a corresponding move, Minnesota placed left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) on injured reserve to clear a spot on the 53-man roster for Hockenson. After suffering ACL and MCL tears last December and undergoing surgery on his right knee in January, Hockenson was sidelined for the start of the season before he was cleared to practice Oct. 4. With his 21-day evaluation window officially closing Friday, the Vikings added Hockenson back to the roster in anticipation that he'll be ready to make his 2024 debut Sunday, Nov. 3 versus the Colts. Considering that Hockenson hadn't advanced beyond limited participation since he resumed practicing earlier this month, he'll likely need to put in at least one full practice during the upcoming week before the Vikings officially clear him to play against Indianapolis.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Won't play Week 8, should be back Week 9
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The Vikings downgraded Hockenson (knee) to out for Thursday's game against the Rams, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Hockenson's 21-day practice window wraps up Friday, but the team intends to activate him from the reserve/PUP list before the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline and have him available for a Week 9 matchup agains the Colts on Sunday, Nov. 3. He tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee last season on Dec. 24, so he's exactly 10 months removed from sustaining the injuries.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Officially questionable for Thursday
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Hockenson (knee), who remains on the reserve/PUP list, is officially listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Rams.
Hockenson will need to be added to the 53-man roster in order to be eligible to play Thursday, but the team hasn't yet committed to the standout tight end making his season debut Week 8. Given that Hockenson is working his way back from surgery to address ACL and MCL tears in his right knee, fantasy managers will need to be wary of the real possibility that he's worked in slowly even once cleared to play. The Vikings officially opened Hockenson's 21-day practice window Oct. 4, and he's been listed as a limited participant in every practice since.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Listed as questionable
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Hockenson (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions.
Hockenson returned to practice two weeks ago on Oct. 4, and the Vikings now will need to activate him from the reserve/PUP list by Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET if he's going to play this Sunday. Fantasy managers thus should have a decision on his availability at least 21 hours before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday, although Hockenson won't be the same lineup lock he was in past years for what would be his first game back from ACL and MCL tears. He said Thursday that he still wasn't sure if he'd play this weekend, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Another limited session
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Hockenson (knee) was limited at Thursday's practice.
Hockenson is nearing the end of his second week of the 21-day window in which the Vikings have to evaluate him and eventually activate him from the reserve/PUP list. So far, he's logged three consecutive capped sessions going back to Oct. 4, and he even spoke about his odds to play Sunday against the Lions. "Yeah, I don't know," Hockenson told Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Thursday. "I mean, it all depends day to day. ... As long as I'm feeling good and rolling, we'll just keep it there." The Vikings will need to activate Hockenson by Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET in order for him to have a chance to suit up this weekend, but first Friday's injury report will reveal if he has a designation for Sunday's contest.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Practice window to open Friday
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Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday the team plans to designate Hockenson (knee) for a return to practice Friday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Hockenson spent the first four games of the regular season on the reserve/PUP list while working his way back from right ACL and MCL tears sustained Dec. 24 of last season. Minnesota plans for Hockenson to travel with the team to London ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets and have his first practice session Friday. At that time, Hockenson's official 21-day practice window will open. Hockenson doesn't seem to be in consideration to face New York on Sunday, after which point the Vikings will benefit from a bye week. The team hasn't yet offered a definitive timetable for Hockenson's return, but Oct. 20 versus the Lions in Week 7 and Oct. 24 against the Rams in Week 8 could be in play.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: May be targeting post-bye return
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The Vikings are thought to be loosely targeting a return from the reserve/PUP list for Hockenson (knee) after the team's Week 6 bye, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Minnesota placed Hockenson on the reserve/PUP list upon trimming down to a 53-man roster, which rules the standout tight end out for at least the first four games of the season, but it sounds like Hockenson's return to the field could take until Week 7, after the team's bye. That makes sense considering not only Hockenson's recovery timetable, as he works his way back from right ACL and MCL tears suffered late last December, but also the Vikings' schedule. The team has an overseas Week 5 matchup against the Jets prior to the bye. Until Hockenson is cleared to retake the field, Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver are slated to hold down the fort at the tight end position.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Starting season on PUP list
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Hockenson (knee) will be on the PUP list to start the regular season, ruling him out for at least the first four games, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Hockenson has been on the active/PUP list since the start of training camp and will now shift to reserve/PUP on Tuesday as teams cut their rosters down to 53 players. He won't count against that limit for at least the first four weeks of the season, which means his earliest date for a 2024 debut would be Week 5 against the Jets (Oct. 6). Hockenson had the best statistical season of his career in 2023, only to see it marred by ACL and MCL tears on a hard hit to the knee during a Dec. 24 game against Detroit. Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver will take most of Minnesota's TE snaps until Hockenson is ready.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Likely out for start of season
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Hockenson (knee) isn't likely to be ready for Week 1 and could miss anywhere from three to seven regular-season games, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler reports.
While previous reports perhaps came off as more optimistic, Hockenson has always faced an uphill battle to be ready for the start of the season after suffering ACL and MCL tears on Dec. 24. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said last week that Hockenson is, "very well ahead of maybe where some of the medical folks thought he would be," but also cautioned that, "a timeline exists and we're going to try to stay true to that." Hockenson remains on the active/PUP list after two weeks of training camp, and it won't come as any surprise if he heads into the regular season on the reserve/PUP list, which would rule him out for the first four games. In the meantime, TE snaps and targets seem to be up for grabs between Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt and Robert Tonyan (back).
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Officially shifts to PUP list
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The Vikings placed Hockenson (knee) on the active/PUP list Monday.
The transaction confirms an announcement by coach Kevin O'Connell earlier Monday. Hockenson is eligible to come off the PUP list at any point during training camp or the preseason, once he's ready to practice, but given the timing of his late-January procedure to repair a torn ACL, the 27-year-old tight end seems like a real candidate to miss some time early in the regular season. Josh Oliver, Robert Tonyan and Johnny Mundt will be candidates to benefit from increased first-team reps as long as Hockenson remains sidelined.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Undergoes surgery
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Hockenson (knee) underwent successful ACL surgery Monday.
Hockenson's season ended when he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee on Dec. 26. Given how late in the season his injury occurred, the star tight end is presumably in danger of not being ready for the start of the 2024 season. He now will move forward with the rehab process as the offseason gets underway.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Exits early due to knee injury
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Hockenson won't return to Sunday's game against the Lions due to a right knee injury, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Hockenson suffered the injury on the Vikings' opening drive of the third quarter, when he took a hard shot to the knee following a reception, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He'll finish the contest with four catches for 58 yards on four targets. The Vikings will likely provide an update on Hockenson's condition in the coming days, but for the time being, his status for the team's Week 17 game versus the Packers is uncertain.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Modest but productive day Saturday
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Hockenson caught six passes for 63 yards on seven targets in the 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals on Saturday.
Hockenson was highly efficient and turned in a solid game for his fantasy investors, but it was easy to overlook his contributions in a game where he was overshadowed by Jordan Addison (six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns on six targets) and Justin Jefferson (seven catches for 84 yards on 10 targets). Addison seemingly remains behind Hockenson in the overall target rotation, though, so Hockenson is a good bet to rank higher in the team receiving category when the Vikings play against Detroit in Week 17.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Leading receiver in Week 14 win
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Hockenson caught five of eight targets for 53 yards in Sunday's 3-0 win over the Raiders.
The catches and yards were team highs on a day when both offenses simply couldn't get anything going. Four of Hockenson's five catches came in the fourth quarter after Nick Mullens had replaced Joshua Dobbs under center, however, which bodes well for the tight end in Week 15 against the Bengals if Mullens winds up taking over at QB on a full-time basis.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Finds end zone in Week 12 loss
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Hockenson secured five of six targets for 50 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings' 12-10 loss to the Bears on Monday.
Hockenson led the Vikings in receiving yards and recorded the game's only touchdown on a 17-yard grab with just under six minutes remaining in the game. The talented tight end overcame a rib injury to suit up Monday night, and he'll head into a Week 13 bye that will afford him some extra rest having scored three times in the last five games. Hockenson next faces the Raiders in an interconference road battle Week 14.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Clear to play Week 12
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Hockenson (ribs) does not have an injury status for Monday's game against the Bears.
Hockenson practiced in full Saturday after beginning the week with a pair of limited sessions. He's been dealing with an injury to his ribs since early November, but the issue hasn't caused him to miss any games. Hockenson leads NFL tight ends with 75 catches and 736 receiving yards on the campaign, and he's also notched four touchdowns.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Limited with rib injury
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Hockenson (ribs) was a limited participant in practice Friday.
Hockenson played through the rib injury the past two weeks and piled up 15 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown in his familiar three-down role. He'll likely be fine for Monday's game against the Bears, and might be looking at another week without WR Justin Jefferson (hamstring - LP) around to compete for targets.
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Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: Team-high receiving yards in loss
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Hockenson brought in four of seven targets for 55 yards in the Vikings' 21-20 loss to the Broncos on Sunday night.
The productive tight end paced the Vikings in receiving yards and targets while tying with position mate Josh Oliver for the team lead in receptions. However, it was still an underwhelming night by Hockenson's lofty standards, as his catch total was his lowest since Week 4 while his receiving yards qualified as his fewest since Week 6. Hockenson has shown good early rapport with Joshua Dobbs despite Sunday's downturn, but he could see his overall target share take a hit with the potential return of Justin Jefferson (hamstring) for a Week 12 home matchup against the Bears on Monday night, Nov. 27.
