Who Should I Start? Robert Tonyan Jr. or Hayden Hurst

Tuesday, August 27, 5:57 PM

The Minnesota Vikings released tight end Robert Tonyan on Tuesday. The Vikings have plenty of tight end depth, with superstar T.J. Hockenson (knee) on the PUP list and Josh Oliver, one of the best backups in the NFL. The 29-year-old spent the first five seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers before playing with the Chicago Bears in 2023. In 2020 he had by far the best season of his career, with 586 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Tonyan, who has only ever played for NFC North teams, has put together a couple of productive seasons and shown that he has plenty of talent. Tonyan will look to latch onto another team but is off the fantasy radar for now in 2024.

Thursday, December 19, 12:07 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers plan to activate tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) from Injured Reserve to play in Thursday's divisional clash against the visiting Denver Broncos, according to a source. Hurst landed on IR in late November with a hip injury, but he has practiced in full since having his 21-day practice window opened this week. It's good timing for the 31-year-old with fellow tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) already ruled out for Week 16. Hurst last played in Week 10, though, so it's fair to expect him to be on a limited snap count in his first game back on a short week. Additionally, Hurst won't be a viable starting option in fantasy in a tough matchup against the stout Broncos defense. Hurst should work alongside Stone Smartt, who will be the better TE2 streaming upside play in DFS and deeper fantasy leagues. Hurst caught only seven passes for 65 yards on 12 targets in seven games before going on IR.