T.J. Hockenson — Week 3: Four Targets, Eleven Yards
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Hockenson caught 2 of 4 targets for 11 yards and no first downs; both deep throws his way, 26 and 18 yards in the air, fell incomplete. A 4-yard catch on third and ten in the fourth quarter was wiped out by a Tampa Bay offside penalty that left Minnesota third and five, in a 23–16 win over the Buccaneers.
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Four targets, two catches, 11 yards, no first downs: the fewest yards of T.J. Hockenson's three games this season, and the two throws that could have changed that were deep. Third quarter, eight 45 left, second and 11 at the Minnesota 31, up 17 to 10: Kyler Murray threw deep left for him, 26 yards in the air, incomplete, −0.8 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. Murray was intercepted on the next snap. 14 17 left in the fourth, first and 10 at the Minnesota 25, up 17 to 13: deep right, 18 in the air, incomplete.
The line: four targets, two catches, 11 yards, −1.2 expected points on the targets. The catches were five yards on second and 16 at his own 24 in the first quarter and six on second and 15 at his own 23 in the third. One more catch does not count: four yards short left on third and 10 with 14 oh six left in the fourth, six short of the sticks, wiped out by a Tampa Bay offside penalty that Minnesota took instead, making it third and five. The next throw went deep to Jauan Jennings, incomplete, and the Vikings punted. One target before halftime, three after.
Four targets were third on the Vikings behind nine to Jordan Addison and six to Aaron Jones, 16 percent of the 25 throws with a receiver. Justin Jefferson left in the first quarter with an ankle injury, per MPR News, and the throws that opened up went mostly to Addison and Jones rather than to the tight end.
Back in June the preview called Hockenson a watchlist: two seasons since the knee well short of the player he had been, the stickiest volume profile at the position, and his September target share against a 15.6-percent baseline, plus which quarterback won the job, as the things to watch. Week 1 was five targets, 36 yards and a touchdown; Week 2 four targets and 29 yards; nearly all of it from Carson Wentz. Sunday was Kyler Murray's first full game as a Viking, and the share was 16 percent, right on the baseline. Three games: 13 targets, nine catches, 76 yards, one touchdown. The share has held, and the yards have shrunk each week. Three games settle little. Minnesota is home to the Dolphins on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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