The Minnesota Vikings have caught the injury bug. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Justin Jefferson and even backup quarterback Jaren Hall have all suffered injuries in recent weeks. Even tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is questionable for Sunday’s game, has been dealing with some pain. Let’s look at the most recent T.J. Hockenson injury updates as we assess whether he will be playing in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. If you’re hungry for more action, check out our NFL player prop bets, our NFL betting tools or our NFL betting promos!
T.J. Hockenson Injury Update: Is Cincinnati’s Star Playing Sunday?
T.J. Hockenson Injury Update
The Minnesota Vikings had T.J. Hockenson available at all of their practices this week as the tight end nurses a rib injury. However, Hockenson was limited in each of those sessions, as he is still dealing with some pain from the injury. He bruised his ribs last week and was clearly playing through some pain. He still managed to catch seven of his 12 targets for 69 yards.
The Vikings haven’t released a ton of news about Hockenson aside from his injury designation, but the news out of Minnesota is encouraging. Hockenson told reporters that he is playing through pain but that he intends to play Sunday. “That’s the plan,” he told reporters. The Vikings have since ruled out wide receiver Justin Jefferson, which means they’ll have to lean more heavily on Hockenson — if he is available.
Is T.J. Hockenson Playing for Minnesota on Sunday?
So is T.J. Hockenson playing for Minnesota on Sunday? Probably. The Vikings have a long list of injuries to manage, which means they have had to be quite intentional with their practice squad promotions and other personnel decisions ahead of Week 10. Minnesota has a few reserve tight ends that are likely to be active, Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt, so if Hockenson were going to be ruled out, they probably wouldn’t have needed to call anyone up. Still, it’s meaningful that the Vikings felt comfortable enough to rule out Jefferson despite his ability to log limited practice reps all week.
But just because I expect Hockenson to be active doesn’t mean I expect big things from him. Rib injuries are painful, and they can often cost players a few snaps as they manage pain or adjust themselves on the sideline. Hockenson played on 84% of Minnesota’s snaps last week, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that number dip to 75% or 70%. Hockenson’s receiving yardage prop sits all the way up at 49.5 on bet365, so if you’re looking to fade him, a wager on the under there might be wise. New to bet365? You can get $150 in bets after betting $5 — or up to $1,000 in bonus bets back if your first wager loses.
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