TJ Hockenson Injury Update, When Will TJ Hockenson Return? How Long is TJ Hockenson Out?

TJ Hockenson Injury Update

T.J. Hockenson is recovering from an ACL injury in his right knee that he got during the 2023 season. The Minnesota Vikings tight end will stay on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list at the start of the season, meaning he will miss at least the first four games, according to reports.

Fantasy football players should be a bit cautious about any player coming back from such a serious injury. Some players recover well, but for others, it takes longer, and they might not be the same.

Hockenson will miss the first four games of the season, but he could return for the home game against the New York Jets on October 6. However, Hockenson might not be back until after the bye week, making the October 20 game against the Detroit Lions more likely for his return.

This is significant for fantasy football managers because finding good tight ends is tough. Hockenson can be a valuable player, but drafting him comes with risks since he won’t play for several weeks. Managers will need to find another tight end to use for the first six weeks of the season. After that, Hockenson might be reliable, but it could be a difficult choice, depending on your roster, and it might not be worth the risk.

When Will TJ Hockenson Return?

T.J. Hockenson is expected to return for the week five game in London. There has been a lot of guessing about when he might come back since his injury was first diagnosed. At first, reports suggested he might miss almost half the season, but as he recovered, it looked like he was getting better faster than expected. However, the exact timing has been unclear. Recently, Alec Lewis from The Athletic mentioned that it wouldn't be surprising if Hockenson plays in the week five game in London against the New York Jets.

How Long is TJ Hockenson Out?

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson will miss at least the first four games of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. This news was expected since he got injured on December 24. The team made it official on Tuesday by placing him on the reserve/PUP list, meaning they won't keep a spot for him on their 53-man roster for now.

TJ Hockenson Update

T.J. Hockenson was put on the PUP list on August 27, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the season.

The Vikings used Reserve Lists to reduce their 2024 roster to 53 players by Tuesday's 3 p.m. (CT) deadline. They kept Hockenson on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform. They also placed linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk on Injured Reserve and outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy and guard Dalton Risner on Injured Reserve-Designated for Return.

After tearing his ACL last December, it's clear Hockenson won’t play this Sunday against the New York Giants, but a return after about four games seems more likely now.

Who is T. J. Hockenson?

Thomas James Hockenson, born on July 3, 1997, is an American football player who plays as a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL. He was picked in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. In college, he played for the Iowa Hawkeyes and won the John Mackey Award for being the best tight end in college football.

T. J. Hockenson Early Life

Hockenson grew up in Cherokee, Iowa, and then moved to Chariton, Iowa during his teenage years. He went to Chariton High School, where he played football and basketball. As a tight end and defensive back, he won letters for four years and set school records for receiving yards in a game, season, and career. He led his team to the state playoffs in his senior year and was named to the all-state first team. Hockenson was rated as a three-star recruit and was the seventh-best recruit in Iowa for the class of 2016 according to 247Sports.com. He committed to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes on June 20, 2015.