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by Brad Berreman
September 9, 2022
Lions
tight end T.J. Hockenson has had some productive season openers, and he seems
sure to continue that Sunday against the Eagles.
Many Lions fans remember
T.J. Hockenson’s historic NFL debut. Against the Arizona Cardinals in Week
1 of the 2019 season, he had six receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown.
Repeating that 100-yard game has proven challenging for
Hockenson since his debut, as in it’s the only 100-yard game of his career
thus far.
But Hockenson has
been productive in season openers.
- Week 1, 2020 vs. Chicago Bears: five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown
- Week 1, 2021 vs.
San Francisco 49ers: eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown
Hockenson actually owns some NFL history based on what he’s done in Week 1 games.
Via the
Lions’ PR department, Hockenson
is the only tight end in NFL history to have at least 50 yards and a touchdown
in each of his first three Week 1 games.
Week
1 matchup vs. the Eagles sets T.J. Hockenson up to extend history
In Week 1, the Lions take
on the Philadelphia Eagles. Matthew Berry, the “Godfather” of fantasy football
now of NBC Sports, said it best (with my possible slight paraphrase on the
beginning) on Sirius XM Radio Thursday.
There are three certainties in life: Death, taxes and start your tight
ends against the Eagles.
Not than many of Hockenson’s fantasy managers are really considering
benching him this week, but Berry’s sentiment is easy to get behind. The
Eagles allowed the most receptions and touchdowns to tight ends last year, as
well as the sixth-most yards. They might be better against the position this
year, but they’ll have to prove it.
In last year’s game against the
Eagles, a 44-6 loss for the Lions, Hockenson had 10 receptions (on
11 targets) for 89 yards without a touchdown.
Betting the over on Hockenson’s yardage over/under prop (47.5) over at FanDuel feels like it’ll cash on Sunday. History, and a great Week 1 matchup, practically guarantees it.
