There are any number of undeniable truths in fantasy football. One is that where tight ends are concerned, there are the “Big Three” and then there’s everyone else. Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs in the unquestioned No. 1 option. Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders and George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers aren’t that far behind him. And then the waters muddy.
Another undeniable truth is that it’s awfully hard to get excited about the passing game for the Detroit Lions in 2021. The Lions were 10th in the league in passing in 2020, but that was before quarterback Matthew Stafford was traded. And before wide receiver Kenny Golladay left town in free agency. And before veteran wideout Marvin Jones joined the Motown exodus.
Now Jared Goff is the new signal-caller in Detroit. And the Lions have quite possibly the weakest assemblage of wide receivers in the entire National Football League. It’s fixing to be a long season in the Motor City.
However, all hope is not lost for fantasy managers where the Lions are concerned. As a matter of fact, there’s actually some potential for value in 2021. There’s a young tight end coming off the board over two full rounds after Kittle that may well have better odds of turning the terrific three into the fabulous four than any other player at the position in the league.
There may not be much to celebrate fantasy-wise in Detroit in 2021—but a T.J. Hockenson breakout could be the exception to that rule.
The Talent is There
Now, it can be argued that Hockenson already broke out—in his second season, the former Iowa star hauled in 67 of his 101 targets for 723 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers were good for 168 fantasy points in Sharks League Scoring—only Kelce, Waller and Green Bay’s Robert Tonyan had more.
While ranking the top-five tight ends in the NFL, James Jones of the NFL Network slotted Hockenson at No. 5.
“Not a lot of people get a chance to see this young fella play, because he is in Detroit and they don’t get a lot of primetime games,” Jones said. “So, you’re not able to see how good this young fella is. He can absolutely play,” Jones explained. “Any time you throw the football up to him, he’s able to go up and make the plays. He’s an excellent route runner. He’s quick off the line of scrimmage, explosive off the line of scrimmage. This is an excellent player. And a lot of people need to know more about this young fella right here.”
As Tim Twentyman wrote for the Lions’ website, Hockenson has already developed a rapport with Goff—and impressed his new general manager.
“T.J. was a guy I was obviously high on when he came out of Iowa,” Brad Holmes said. “But I will say watching him now, and even last year and in year’s past, he is one of the better-balanced tight ends that can contribute in both phases. He’s got the athletic ability and the route savvy and the quickness and the agility. He’s got all that to be a threat in the passing game, but the way he can contribute in the run game as well, sometimes you’re not getting both.”
Per John Maakaron of All Lions, new Lions head coach Dan Campbell (himself a former tight end) has big plans for Hockenson in 2021.
“If you look at what we did with Jared Cook last year (in New Orleans), he really didn’t have his hand in the ground very much at all,” Campbell said. “He was used more as a slot, and then we’d split him out, getting him isolated, see if they’d play man-to-man. So, when you have a guy like that, or you have weapons like that, these guys can be used a little bit more like receivers if you will, but yet knowing that there’s going to be those times where they’re still going to need to be able to block and help you in the run game. So, it’s definitely changed, but I think big skill is hard to find if I’m being honest with you and I think it’s a hard matchup for defenses.”
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