The rich will get richer this weekend because the Minnesota Vikings expect former Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson to make his first start since December 2023 when the team plays host to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football.
“I think T.J. is ready to play,” said Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on October 30th. “He’s as good as he’s looked since we got him here. And that’s saying something considering the impact he made right away in ‘22 and the season he was having last year at the time he was hurt. He’s a huge part of our offense, our system.”
Hockenson is not expected to be on a predetermined snap count, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The former first-round pick has been out of commission since tearing his ACL and MCL in a week 16 game against the Detroit Lions last season. Before that injury, he had recorded 95 receptions on 127 targets for 960 receiving yards and five touchdowns in just 15 games.
Vikings Expect T.J. Hockenson To Play In Week 9
Hockenson’s return can help right the ship
T.J. Hockenson’s return comes after the Minnesota Vikings lost their last two games following a 5-0 start. Minnesota needs to secure a win on Sunday if they want to avoid the mid-to-late season dropoff that Vikings fans have unfortunately become used to.
In 2023, the Vikings started the season with a 6-4 record, which included a five-game win streak. However, Minnesota finished the year 1-6 and missed the playoffs. In 2022, the Vikes looked like the class of the NFC after starting the season 10-2. In the end, though, Minnesota dropped three of its last six games, including a wild card round home playoff loss to the Daniel Jones-led New York Giants.
While Minnesota appears to be heading into similar territory, getting back a key piece like T.J. Hockenson will certainly help a team that has a good chance to get things right against an Indianapolis Colts squad that just made a surprising quarterback change.
Minnesota could end the season with the NFL’s top offense
Even without T.J. Hockenson, the Vikings haven’t had trouble scoring points. They are currently seventh in the NFL with 26.9 points per game. Also, their 188 points on the season is good for second-best amongst teams that have only played seven games this year. Getting back a player who almost went for 1,000 yards in 2023 will only help the Vikings add to their scoring output.
The addition of Hockenson will also help the passing game increase productivity. Minnesota is currently 17th in passing with 213.6 yards per game. Adding Hockenson into the mix will help Minnesota boost that number while giving their wide receivers more opportunities to get open and make an impact down the field.
Hockenson could even help Minnesota’s rushing attack, which is 22nd in the league at 111.4 yards per game. Adding a 6-foot 5-inch, 248lb tight end to the line of scrimmage will give the offense another reliable blocker. It also creates more confusion for opposing teams’ defensive coordinators, who now have to gameplan around Hockenson on top of Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones and Jordan Addison.
T.J. Hockenson probably won’t play a huge role in Minnesota’s game against the Colts. But you should expect the two-time Pro Bowler to make a big splash later on when the Vikings close out the 2024-25 campaign with four games against divisional opponents in the final seven weeks of the season.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
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