Fantasy Week 4: Vikings' Hockenson recommended over Jennings vs. Miami

With Justin Jefferson sidelined by a sprained ankle and Josh Oliver on injured reserve, the Week 4 fantasy recommendation at Minnesota goes to T.J. Hockenson over Jauan Jennings.

For fantasy managers setting Week 4 lineups, the recommendation at Minnesota is clear: tight end T.J. Hockenson over wide receiver Jauan Jennings. The Dolphins visit the Vikings on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Injuries shaped the decision. A sprained ankle has sidelined wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and tight end Josh Oliver is headed to injured reserve with a biceps tear.

Oliver's status thins the depth chart considerably. He had logged 24 snaps at Tampa Bay before going down, and his IR placement leaves Hockenson and second-year player Gavin Bartholomew as the only tight ends occupying 53-man roster spots. At 6-foot-5, Hockenson is positioned to remain on the field for nearly every formation Minnesota deploys.

His season line stands at nine receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. The opener brought four catches for 36 yards and a score in a win over Green Bay, followed by three grabs on four looks for 29 yards in Chicago. The Tampa Bay trip produced just two catches for 11 yards on four targets, even with Jefferson departing on the game's first drive.

Coach Kevin O'Connell believes a full week of practicing minus Jefferson will benefit his other weapons. "I think it's better for the rest of the group, knowing the plan, knowing where they're going to align, knowing how we're going to call personnel groupings to get certain guys in the spots we want," O'Connell said.

Jennings, meanwhile, has barely registered statistically. The 29-year-old arrived on a one-year contract worth $8 million and has drawn three targets across two appearances, converting one into a single yard. He saw one look in the Green Bay win, was absent in Week 2 after a bereavement in his family, then logged 47 snaps in Tampa Bay — trailing only Jordan Addison among Minnesota wideouts — while averaging just 0.04 yards per route run.

O'Connell indicated a broader assignment is coming for Jennings with Jefferson unavailable. "Jauan being out there and being asked to do a little bit more than just the position he's gotten the reps at throughout the week of a game plan," O'Connell said. Even so, Addison projects as the primary beneficiary of the redistributed targets after posting five catches for 90 yards and a 41-yard touchdown once Jefferson exited.

Miami's defensive profile favors the tight end in this comparison. The Dolphins surrender 19.1 fantasy points per contest to wide receivers, a bottom-five figure leaguewide, while yielding 13.5 per contest to tight ends, the 11th-highest mark. George Kittle went for four catches, 80 yards and a touchdown against Miami, and Kansas City's Travis Kelce followed last week with two receptions for 59 yards and a score. Rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who has conceded a 63.3 passer rating along with an interception in coverage, projects as the defender most likely to shadow Hockenson.

A word of caution: Minnesota's offense is generating an NFL-worst 238.3 yards per game, leaving both pass catchers without a secure weekly floor. The final call slots Hockenson in as a low-end starting tight end for 12-team formats, with the volume behind his role making him the stronger flex play of the pair. Jennings, formerly of the 49ers, merits consideration only in deeper leagues until his route running starts producing receptions.