Of the many amazing things about the VIkings’ 5-0 start this season is that they have managed perfection without one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
T.J. Hockenson will be a great addition for the Vikings, and fantasy mavens, when he’s finally cleared to return from his 2023-ending knee injury. It could be this week, or Week 7, or Week 8.
Other standouts are expected to join him in the next couple of weeks, and they will have varying impacts on the fantasy stage.
Christian McCaffrey (49ers RB): The consensus No. 1 fantasy draft pick has been a spectator all season, watching Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo post solid if not CMC-worthy numbers. The all-pro has been dealing with Achilles issues in BOTH legs, and the Niners are hoping to have him back in the next few weeks. We’ll see.
FILE – San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey before a preseason NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in Santa Clara, Calif., Aug. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
Nick Chubb (Browns RB): Cleveland’s best offensive threat has been out more than a year after a severe knee injury, but he could return as early as this week against Cincinnati. He’s not going to be all-world right away, but by season’s end he could again be one of the league’s top 10 running backs.
Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to a game against the New York Giants at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Jonathan Taylor (Colts RB): Indy’s star tailback has been out since Week 4 with a sprained ankle. But he’s still one of the best fantasy producers when healthy, especially in an improved Colts offense. He’s also likely to return in early November.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor stretches before a preseason NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua (Rams WR): Los Angeles only goes as far as its receivers, which is why you see its 1-4 record. Kupp should be back first, but both could be catching precision passes from Matthew Stafford by early-to-mid November, at which point they return to being must-starts in fantasy.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp speaks to the media after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins QB): It looked like his latest concussion in Week 2 could be a career ender. But Miami is expecting Tagovailoa back as early as Week 8. This would be especially good news for folks needing big numbers from wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sept. 22, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Sitting stars
Davante Adams was injured. Then he became a Jet. Because he might be an injured Jet, we’d think twice before counting on him against Pittsburgh. … The Vikings’ backfield situation with Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler and now Cam Akers is too uncertain to start any of them for fantasy against Detroit. … The Giants will try like heck to rein in their former teammate, Eagles RB Saquon Barkley. … Green Bay RB Josh Jacobs will be mostly kept in check by Houston. … Same for Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt vs. 49ers. … And quarterbacks we’d pass on this week include Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence vs. New England and whoever ends up starting in Pittsburgh, Justin Fields or Russell Wilson.
Davante Adams #17 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)
Matchup game
Just a hunch: WR Amari Cooper has a big Buffalo debut against Tennessee. … New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara will put on a show for his old coach, Denver’ Sean Payton. … Two RBs we like this week are the Jaguars’ Tank Bigsby vs. the Patriots and Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard against the Commanders. … Baltimore WR Zay Flowers was almost unrecoverable last week against Cincy and will be again against Tampa Bay. … Other receivers we like are the Colts’ Josh Downs vs. Miami, the Texans’ Tank Dell vs. the Packers and new Patrick Mahomes favorite Juju Smith-Schuster against San Fran. … Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts may be about to break out against Seattle. … and the renaissance of Chargers QB Justin Herbert will continue in Arizona.
Amari Cooper #2 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the second half of a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Aug. 17, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Injury watch
All eyes are on the top two rookie receivers, the Giants’ Malik Nabers and the Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr., who are both tied up in the concussion protocol. … Indy expects to get QB Anthony Richardson back, even though they might be better off with Joe Flacco. … The slew of questionables includes a quarterback (Saints’ Derek Carr), many running backs (Vikings’ Aaron Jones, Jaguars’ Travis Etienne, Miami’s De’Von Achane, Commanders’ Brian Robinson Jr., Buffalo’s James Cook, Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson, Giants’ Devin Singletary) and pass catchers (Houston’s Nico Collins, New Orleans’ Chris Olave, Taysom Hill and Rashid Shaheed, Green Bay’s Dontayvion Wicks, Philly’s Dallas Goedert).
Ja’Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals and Malik Nabers #1 of the New York Giants pose for a photo after the game at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 13, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Deepest sleeper
He came into Week 6 as a special teamer having touched the football on offense only 20 times in his NFL career. Then Tampa Bay sophomore running back Sean Tucker had his coming-out party. The undrafted free agent from Syracuse had 17 touches for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ big win in New Orleans. He’ll again be splitting carries this week with Bucky Irving as Rachaad White slowly mends from his foot injury. Get him while he’s hot, before the Bucs’ backfield committee becomes too muddled.
Sean Tucker #44 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in action against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on Oct. 13, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The Thursday pick
Broncos at Saints (+1½):
Pick: Saints by 3
Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after his team defeated the Indianapolis Colts during Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
You can hear Kevin Cusick on Wednesdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on Twitter — @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.
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