Who Should I Start? T.J. Hockenson or Ja'Tavion Sanders

Thursday, February 12, 8:02 AM

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson had an underwhelming season as the team endured poor quarterback play and inconsistency at the position. Hockenson played 15 games in 2025, starting all of them. He caught 51 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns, posting the lowest receiving yards total and fantasy points per game mark since he was a rookie. He ultimately finished as the overall TE26 in full-PPR leagues. Although it's fair to blame the trio of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer for Hockenson's frustrating year, that doesn't mean he'll magically bounce back in 2026. McCarthy is due back as the Vikings' quarterback next season. Interestingly, Hockenson also struggled with Sam Darnold as his quarterback in 2024, so he really hasn't been a trustworthy fantasy tight end since Kirk Cousins quarterbacked the Vikings in 2023. Hockenson is under contract for two more years, but the Vikings have a potential out this offseason. If Minnesota releases Hockenson post-June 1, they would create $15.96 million in cap space while taking on $5.34 million in dead money. It certainly wouldn't hurt the Vikings to keep the veteran tight end to help support McCarthy's development, but we also wouldn't be surprised to see the team's next general manager capitalize on this opportunity to create cap space.

Wednesday, February 18, 10:06 AM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (fibula) missed the end of 2025 after being placed on IR. He still appeared in 13 games throughout the course of the regular season, amassing 29 catches, 190 yards, and one touchdown. This was a significant step back from his rookie campaign in 2024, when he was the TE36 in PPR leagues with 33 catches, 342 yards, and a trip to the end zone. The Panthers simply haven't placed much emphasis on utilizing the tight end position in the passing game in recent years, so even though Sanders has been atop the depth chart, he hasn't carved out a significant receiving role. That's unlikely to change in 2026, so he's not a particularly intriguing target in redraft leagues. However, he's worth holding and stashing in dynasty leagues because he's still a young, talented player with long-term upside in a more appropriate scheme.