Who Should I Start? T.J. Hockenson or Tony Pollard

Saturday, September 6, 3:40 PM

With the Minnesota Vikings going through changes at wide receiver, tight end T.J. Hockenson is a starting-caliber option as his team prepares to take on the Chicago Bears in Week 1. The veteran tight end figures to be a key part of Minnesota's passing game with wide receiver Jordan Addison (suspension) set to miss the first three games, and could very well be the team's second option behind superstar receiver Justin Jefferson. Hockenson started only nine times last season while recovering from an ACL injury the year prior, and figures to see a natural boost nearly two years post-surgery. He caught 95 passes in 2023 despite the Vikings playing half the season with backup quarterbacks, which bodes well for managers who drafted him as Minnesota breaks in first-time starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy in 2025.

Saturday, September 6, 9:09 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard opens the 2025 season with a difficult Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Pollard averaged 67.4 rushing yards per game last season, and he's facing a Broncos defense that allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards and fourth-fewest rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs last year. While Denver did show some susceptibility against pass-catching backs, Pollard will likely need to touch the ball around 20 times (or score a touchdown) to make him a meaningful fantasy starter. Managers should treat him as an RB3/FLEX option heading into this weekend.