The Minnesota Vikings' offense has struggled to find its footing in 2026. On top of a revamped system built around Kyler Murray and the run game, the Vikings have also been without Justin Jefferson since the first drive of their Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But Minnesota still had one player emerge in the passing game in Sunday's Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins. T.J. Hockenson provided Murray with a reliable safety blanket and showed that he can still give the Vikings juice in the passing game.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert wrote that Hockenson was Minnesota's most surprising player following the 15-10 win.
"With WR Justin Jefferson (ankle) sidelined, Kyler Murray was harried by the Dolphins' pass rush and struggled to find downfield receivers
for much of the game. But tight end T.J. Hockenson caught all 13 passes thrown his way, tying his career high, for 119 yards," Seifert wrote Monday.
Hockenson has caught 22 passes for 195 yards this season, averaging 48.8 yards per game, easily surpassing his 2025 average of 29.2. He may not be the same player he was before his ACL tear in 2023, but Hockenson is showing he can be counted on when the Vikings' receivers are blanketed downfield.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Which Vikings player was the most surprising from Week 4?
