If there is a team that needs some bright sights on the field, it is the Detroit Lions. Following the 2021 season, the team officially has the longest playoff drought, winning its last postseason game 30 years ago.
Because of that, it might be a little difficult for football fans to notice some quality players whose abilities are hidden due to Detroit's poor results as a team. One of these unnoticed studs is TJ Hockenson, who had 583 yards and four touchdowns in just 12 games last year.
The tight end was on pace to have a career year before going down with a thumb injury that required surgery. That would have followed a Pro Bowl in 2020, where he had 723 yards and six scores.
His past performances and uncertainty surrounding his injury make Hockenson an intriguing option at tight end in fantasy football in 2022. Can he fully recover and replicate his Pro Bowl-level play?
With that being said, here is the fantasy football outlook for TJ Hockenson in the 2022 NFL season.
TJ Hockenson 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
T.J. Hockenson was one of quarterback Jared Goff's main targets prior to his injury. The tight end out of Iowa had 7.0 targets per game, averaging a career-high 5.1 catches per contest. He finished with 9.6 points per game, which made him TE7 despite missing the last five games of the season.
Compared to his last year with Matthew Stafford under center, the tight end's target share increased from 18 percent to 21 percent. However, do not expect Hockenson to have multiple years per catch, but expect multiple catches with short yardage. In 2021, only eight out of his 61 receptions were for 20 yards or more. He was also targeted for just nine passes when the Lions were in the red zone.
In terms of fantasy football, Hockenson had an average of 11.7 PPR points per game, good for sixth among tight ends, and he also had eight out his 12 games with at least double-digit PPR scoring. He finished as TE5 in his last fully healthy season, but after some additions to the Lions' offense, it might be a bit difficult for him to be that big of a contributor.
The team selected wide receiver Jameson Williams in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and signed wideout D.J. Chark in free agency. With such big investments, it would not be a surprise to see a good amount of targets to the new players.
But perhaps the biggest threat to Hockenson's potential in 2022 is the emergence of Amon-Ra St. Brown. After Hockenson was ruled out of the season, the rookie had 41 receptions, more than everyone but Mark Andrews and Davante Adams in that span. He also finished in the top five for receiving yards and receiving touchdowns among first-year players.
Based on St. Brown's breakout second half of the season, it is likely he will be a man of confidence for Goff's offense, which could mean less opportunities for Hockenson. On the other hand, if opponents' defenses focus too much on St. Brown, Hockenson will have to make sure he is ready to take over and become one of if not the main target at a particular game.
Additionally, the tight end has not played a game since December. Despite reports that he is not showing any problems, only real gameplay will tell if Hockenson is back to his former self.
Overall, TJ Hockenson should still be a valuable asset to have on a fantasy football team. Because he is not a flashy name, he should be available until later rounds. Fans who rather wait to pick a tight end should be able to snag him around round seven. At the end of the day, Hockenson has a good chance to overplay his draft position. If not, he is still a solid player to give some points every week.
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