Who Should I Start? T.J. Hockenson or Brock Bowers

Thursday, October 17, 6:54 PM

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), who was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday, said he has "passed every test by a mile" from a medical standpoint. Hockenson's knee is healed, but he has no predictions on when he'll make his 2024 debut. The likeliest targets are in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night or in Week 9 versus the Indianapolis Colts. The 27-year-old is making progress, but the Vikings aren't going to rush him back too soon. Hockenson must be rostered in all fantasy leagues, as he has the potential to be an immediate TE1 contributor when he returns to the field. However, those expecting him to return this Sunday against the division-rival Detroit Lions will most likely be disappointed.

Monday, October 7, 6:45 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had his biggest game of the season in Sunday's 34-18 loss to the Denver Broncos. Bowers notched a season-high targets and converted that into eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Bowers' signature play came early in the first quarter. Quarterback Gardner Minshew II launched a deep pass, and the rookie leaped over a defender to make a catch and ran it 35 more yards into the end zone. He was widely praised for his run-after-catch ability in college, and it looks like that's translating to the NFL perfectly. Bowers has emerged as one of the top tight ends in fantasy in 2024. The Raiders will face a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that's around the league average in fantasy points allowed to tight ends, but Bowers has the talent to succeed against any defense and is a must-start in Week 6.