T.J. Hockenson
Hockenson enters the season as Minnesota's clear starting tight end again, but he's coming off a disappointing 2025 and now has to prove he can be more than a low-volume checkdown option behind a crowded receiving corps.
Role
Expected to play the bulk of offensive snaps as the starting TE, but last season his target share sank to roughly 15-16% (his lowest since his rookie year) with a very short average depth of target, and he wasn't a red-zone priority. He now has to share targets with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and newly added veteran WR Jauan Jennings, while catching passes from new starting QB Kyler Murray after J.J. McCarthy's struggles in 2025. Camp reports have him working with the first-team offense and he scored a touchdown from Murray in the Aug. 26 practice, but he saw limited preseason game snaps as a veteran being managed through camp.
Optimists point to the QB upgrade to Kyler Murray as a potential unlock for an offense that collapsed in 2025, note Hockenson is fully healthy with no injury designation and running with the first-team offense, and argue a healthy, featured TE1 role still carries streamable weekly value even in a run-of-the-mill target environment.
Skeptics note his target share and per-route production have declined for two straight years, that he wasn't heavily used in the red zone last season, and that the arrival of Jauan Jennings plus the established Jefferson/Addison duo further dilutes an already thin target pie, making him one of several mouths to feed rather than a focal point.
Where analysts split
Analysts disagree on whether the Kyler Murray/QB change and offensive overhaul meaningfully restores Hockenson's target share and red-zone role, or whether increased competition from Jennings alongside Jefferson and Addison keeps him capped as a low-ceiling, streamable-only tight end.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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