T.J. Hockenson

After a strong sophomore season in which Hockenson caught 67 of 101 targets for 723 yards and six touchdowns, the eighth overall selection in the 2019 Draft took a step back in an injury- riddled 2021 campaign. Hockenson played through a knee injury before his season ended early due to thumb surgery. Despite Hockenson’s decline in counting stats, there are still plenty of positives to take from his third season. He caught 73 percent of targets after hauling in 66 percent in 2020, showing chemistry with new Lions quarterback Jared Goff, and Hockenson actually saw a modest bump in per-game yardage from 45.2 to 48.6. Rookie wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown experienced a late-season breakout after Hockenson was shut down, but the tight end had a comfortable 84-64 edge in targets while both were healthy. Even with free- agent addition DJ Chark and rookie Jameson Williams joining St. Brown in the Lions’ wide receiver corps, there should be plenty of looks left for Hockenson, who entered Detroit’s offseason program fully healthy ahead of his age-25 season. The Lions picked up his fifth-year option in April, which will keep him in Detroit two more seasons with an extension likely to come.

Hockenson was one of the few bright spots in Detroit last year, rebounding strong from a disappointing rookie season that ended with major ankle surgery. There was talk he might need time to get up to speed in 2020, but the 2019 eighth overall pick came out of the gate strong with 13 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown in his first three games. It wasn’t until Week 10 that he finished a game without 50 yards and/or a TD, though it did happen three more more times (Weeks 15-17) at the end of the season. When all was said and done, the young tight end had played 16 games and 73.2 percent of Detroit’s offensive snaps, finishing second on the team in catches, receiving yards, receiving TDs and targets. The guy who finished first, Marvin Jones, is now in Jacksonville, while Kenny Golladay found his new home in New York. That leaves Hockenson as one of the few tight ends with a realistic chance to lead his team in targets, albeit with some potential for difficulty when it comes to touchdowns and efficiency. The QB swap from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff is at least a small downgrade, and the rest of the Detroit roster isn’t exactly brimming with talent.

Hockenson came off the board eighth overall in the 2019 draft, the earliest a tight end had been selected since Vernon Davis in 2006. The Iowa product quickly justified the selection with 131 yards Week 1 at Arizona, but it turned out the trend he started was tight ends posting big numbers against the Cardinals, rather than his own consistent success. The rookie never had more than 56 yards in a game the rest of the season, seemingly held back by both injuries and his own struggles separating from coverage. On a more positive note, Hockenson's 6.3 YAC average was seventh among TEs, and a 3.4 percent drop rate was good for 12th. Plus, he shouldn't have much trouble creating separation once he sharpens his routes, considering his numbers from the 2019 combine - including a 4.70 40 and 37.5-inch vertical at 251 pounds - equate to an 88th percentile SPARQ score. Of course, the impressive athleticism didn't matter when Hockenson was stuck on the sideline, first suffering a concussion, then a shoulder injury and finally a season-ending ankle injury Week 13. He has the talent, pedigree and solid QB play to make waves with a second-year breakout, but Hockenson also faces steady target competition from a strong wideout group in Detroit, and the rehab process could impact his offseason preparation.

The Lions whiffed when they used the No. 10 pick on Eric Ebron five years ago, but they took a similar swing this spring, tabbing Hockenson with the No. 8 selection. Hockenson won the Mackey Award as a redshirt sophomore, showing better hands and blocking chops than his physically gifted Iowa teammate and fellow first-round pick, Noah Fant. And then Hocksenson's stock improved at the combine, where he turned the drill list into his own personal edition of the Superstars, finishing top-two among TEs in the vertical jump (37.5 inches), broad jump (123 in.), three-cone drill (7.02 seconds) and short shuttle (4.18 sec.). His 4.70 time in the 40-yard dash, while comparatively unimpressive, was more than sufficient for a 251-pound player. Just keep in mind that tight end is the hardest skill position for rookies to make an immediate impact, and Hockenson will need to battle Jesse James for snaps this summer. Go crazy in keeper and dynasty drafts, but try to keep your cleats on the ground in redraft leagues.