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

Tuesday, October 22, 6:48 PM

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) was limited in practice on Tuesday. Hockenson has been working his way back from a multiple-ligament knee injury suffered in Week 16 of 2023. Hockenson has been back at practice for a couple of weeks and there was even a chance for him to play in Week 7. With the Vikings turning around quickly and playing on Thursday night, it seems highly possible that Hockenson will make his anticipated season debut in Week 8 which would give Hockenson plenty of rest before Week 9. Hockenson is a stud at the tight end position in fantasy football. Before his injury in 2023, Hockenson had racked up 960 receiving yards and five touchdowns. It may take him a couple of weeks to ramp up to full strength. However, with the way this offense is playing with quarterback Sam Darnold, Hockenson should be a great boost for any fantasy managers who have been able to stash him to this point in the season.

Sunday, October 13, 10:10 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders caught 5-of-7 targets for 49 yards in Sunday's loss to their division-rival Atlanta Falcons. It was the most productive outing of Sanders' young career thus far, and he's performed well in the stead of teammate Tommy Tremble (concussion). The rookie tight end's five targets in Week 5 were more than Tremble had racked up in any contest this season, and he might have made a case for a more prominent role even when the injured Tremble returns to the lineup. It's a case worth monitoring, though the future of this offense is murky. For now, Andy Dalton is the quarterback, but for how long has yet to be determined. The 21-year-old could be busy again in Week 7 when he lines up against a Washington Commanders squad that came into this Sunday averaging the most points in the NFL. However, he'll be tough to trust as a viable source of fantasy output, especially if Tremble is active.