5 best Vikings from their Week 7 win over the 49ers
By Luke Parrish
4. T.J. Hockenson - TE
Finally, T.J. Hockenson is starting to play like the player who signed a massive extension. The Vikings need a reliable target to keep the chains moving while Jefferson is sidelined, and Hockenson has become that guy after a slow start to his season.
On Monday, Hockenson hauled in 11 passes for 86 yards as he just continued to give Cousins an option all over the field. He caught 11 of 12 targets and was able to hang on through contact on multiple grabs, which has been an issue in 2023.
It was not a flashy showing from Hockenson, but that is not what he is supposed to provide. He stepped up and gave a big target to his quarterback, and he just made plays whenever he was needed, and that kept the Vikings moving throughout the night.
The Vikings are going to need Hockenson to be a reliable weapon if they are serious about competing this season. The run game is not working at all, but they are able to make plays in the passing game because they have so many weapons.
This was probably the best game Hockenson has played this season because he just did everything he was asked and did not make any mistakes. While he did not do anything to really extend beyond that, he did more than enough to impact the game.