Lions TE T.J. Hockenson will miss the final 4 games of the season after undergoing thumb surgery on Thursday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Hockenson is expected to make a "complete recovery in time for the offseason program," Schefter adds. His absence leaves behind a team-high 7.0 targets per game. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who's tallied 12 targets in 2 straight, looks like the biggest beneficiary.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson made a team-high 8 receptions for 78 yards in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. It was his third game with 7+ catches to open the year. Hockenson drew a season-high 11 targets but has garnered 8+ in every game. He ceded a TD to TE Josh Oliver, among 2 receptions for 4 yards for the mainly blocking TE. Hockenson is a strong fantasy starter across formats.

The Vikings and TE T.J. Hockenson have agreed to a four-year extension that keeps him in Minnesota through the 2027 season. Hockenson is getting $66 million over the four new years with $42.5 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Hockenson has missed most of training camp with an alleged ear infection and stiff back -- but we're guessing this new contract heals him up. We'll keep an eye on Hockenson's status, but he should be ready to go for Week 1.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson is over the ear infection that has sidelined him in camp but is now out with lower-back stiffness, according to insider Sam Ekstrom. Like the ear issue, this doesn't sound like a major concern. But it's certainly been a less-than-ideal August for Hockenson. We'll let you know when he gets back on the field.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson said Monday that an ear infection early in camp was affecting his equilibrium. That has kept him out of contact and team drills, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Hockenson also said he didn't know if he would participate in upcoming joint practices with the Titans. This doesn't sound like a big issue. But avoiding contact for that long suggests it's something we need to at least be aware of. We'll see how the rest of August goes for Hockenson. For now, he's not moving down our fantasy football rankings, though.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson led the team in receiving with 10 catches on 11 targets for 109 yards in Sunday's Wild Card loss vs. the Giants. This explosion comes only a few weeks after his 13-109, 2 TD performance against the Giants in Week 16. WR Justin Jefferson totaled 47 receiving yards, hauling in 7 of his 9 targets on the day. Both Hockenson and Jefferson figure to be big contributors to this Vikings' offense moving forward into 2023.