Who Should I Start? T.J. Hockenson or Chig Okonkwo

Friday, September 19, 7:23 PM

Faced with another solid opportunity for production, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is a low-end TE1 candidate against the Cincinnati Bengals, though fantasy managers could certainly be forgiven for being leery about his potential following two straight duds. The veteran tight end is facing a plus matchup for tight ends against the Bengals' defense, but is also coming into the game with four catches, 27 total yards, and zero red-zone targets in two games. Most concerning, the Vikings will be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) and could be starting three offensive linemen -- from left tackle to center -- with a combined two NFL starts. It's clear the Vikings are going to have to be more creative offensively in the following weeks, however, and that should mean more involvement for Hockenson.

Saturday, September 27, 12:32 AM

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo remains a consistent target for quarterback Cameron Ward heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Houston Texans. Okonkwo has 12 targets and nine catches over his last two games, ranking as the overall TE9 in PPR leagues during that span. The Maryland product is both a reliable outlet for Ward and a strong candidate to pick up extra yards after the catch. He's less appealing around the goal line, as he hasn't scored a touchdown this season and has just six scores through 54 career games. Nevertheless, he has shown that he can have some low-end fantasy value even when he's not breaking into the end zone. That should remain the case this week against the Texans, who have ranked near the middle of the league with the 14th-most receptions and 13th-fewest fantasy points allowed to tight ends. Okonkwo is a top-18 fantasy tight end with top-12 upside.