If his NFL Debut was any indication, TJ Hockenson is about to have a rookie TE season for the ages. He hauled in 6-of-9 targets for an NFL-high 131 yards and a score, and now sits as the TE2 in fantasy (half-PPR).
Matthew Stafford targeted Hockenson routinely and at every layer of the field, especially vertically: Hockenson’s 164 air yards ranked more than any TE in any week of last year. His 131 yards also rank most all-time in for TEs in their first game. He also ran a route on 73% of Stafford’s dropbacks, good for fourth most among seam-stretchers.
In short, Hockenson’s a monster.
Many experts (accurately) point out the historic lack of success for rookie TEs. Still, Hockenson has the talent to fully buck this trend. His 23-yard TD was gorgeous in the back of the end zone. And while he was out-snapped by Jesse James, Hockenson was the only real passing game option (James drew 1 target). He’s every bit of the every-down athletic freak he was advertised as, and Hockenson looks like a viable weekly option at an otherwise thin position.
