It was reported on Wednesday that this would be happening. Now, Hockenson will take the practice field for the first time this season on Friday and has three full weeks to be activated. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported in early September that the Vikings were “loosely targeting” Week 7 as the return date for Hockenson, so we’ll see where things go from here. Hockenson turned in a career year in his first full season with the Vikings, totaling 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns while finishing as the fantasy TE2 in fantasy points per game. His return will give Sam Darnold and the league’s fourth-ranked offense one more elite target in the passing game.

As is often the case, players in concussion protocol and unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday seldom get cleared in time for a Sunday game. This is the exact scenario currently finds himself in since suffering his brain injury in Week 4 against the Cowboys. The rookie receiver still has time to clear protocol and get on the field, but he’s undoubtedly trending in the wrong direction for Week 5. If he’s out, Wan’Dale Robinson, who currently ranks fifth amongst all receivers in targets, will be in for a busy day against a secondary that was unable to force an incomplete pass against Jared Goff and the Lions last week.

After two straight DNPs to open the week, Taylor missing at least one game has appeared likely from the get-go. We’ll see if this results in him spending time on IR or not, but for now, fantasy managers should expect Trey Sermon to play the majority of the snaps in Week 5 when the Colts face the Jaguars. The team will likely make a decision on Taylor’s status before the weekend, but we are trending toward him missing this week.

Evans’ fourth and fifth scores of the season give him 100 for his career. 99 receiving and, amusingly, one on a fumble recovery. Evans, coincidentally, also recovered a Chris Godwin fumble this evening. He was schemed wide open on both his scores, a two-yarder in the first quarter and 23-yarder in the second. He got free for a potential third strike with the Bucs milking clock in the fourth quarter, but Baker Mayfield didn’t see him. Looking as Mike Evans-y as ever, he gets arch-nemesis Marshon Lattimore’s Saints in Week 6.

Four days after matching his previous career high for targets, London surpassed it in his second biggest yardage effort. He paid for it with a pair of injuries, requiring a first half concussion evaluation and getting shaken up on the game’s second-to-last play in OT. His absence is actually how KhaDarel Hodge scored the 45-yard walk-off touchdown. For what it’s worth, it seemed like London was probably about to come back into the game had Hodge not scored. London’s score came after he used a spin move to make an 18-yard house call to cap off the Falcons’ opening drive. London’s career high 12 catches were due in large part to Kirk Cousins dropping back 62 times, but it was only a matter of time before Cousins finally started jacking up his attempts totals. He had 35 in Week 4 after failing to reach 30 in any of his first three starts. The Panthers are on tap for Week 6.

There was a pre-game report from NFL Network that the Falcons wanted to get Pitts more involved after his desultory opening month, and he was predictably targeted on the game’s second snap, which he turned into a 32-yard gain. That went down as his biggest play, but Pitts had a little more spring in his step than he did in Week 4, where he wasn’t even looking all that athletic in and out of his breaks. Pitts obviously benefitted from Kirk Cousins’ absurd 62 dropbacks, but the degree to which he had not been involved never made any sense. He will be in the low-end TE1 mix for a soft Week 6 date with the Panthers, but fantasy managers need to keep in mind he is looking like a distant No. 3 option behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney.

Having yet to reach 250 yards passing in a game as a Falcon, Cousins decided to throw for the 15th most in NFL history. He had his 45-yard, walk-off overtime strike to KhaDarel Hodge to thank for getting him over the top, but he also found Drake London and Darnell Mooney for 100-yard games, and even awakened Kyle Pitts to the tune of 7/88. About the only players not to get in on the fun were Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who combined for 29 yards receiving on six catches. Hammered for four sacks and an intentional grounding, Cousins also committed an egregious late-game giveaway with a fourth down pick that could have easily sealed the proceedings. Instead he found redemption after sticking awesome throws to Mooney and London all evening. London got a bit banged up in this one, but has 10 days to get healthy for Week 6 against the Panthers. We suppose Cousins will be back on the QB1/2 periphery for that one.

Folks... We have obviously heard this one before, but Pitts’ “usage” has plummeted to embarrassing depths in recent weeks, culminating with a zero-catch Week 4. He has exceeded 30 yards one time all season, and has yet to catch more than three passes. We would expect a few early designed looks against the Bucs, but it’s unclear if Pitts is even capable of forcing the issue once the scripted plays are through.

It means that, barring an unexpected regression in the concussion protocol, McBride will be good to go for Sunday’s game against the 49ers after missing Week 4. McBride’s easy targets were sorely missed by Kyler Murray last Sunday, to say nothing of fantasy managers. Despite something of a slow start, McBride immediately rejoins the top five at his struggling position.

Ok then. We don’t doubt it was planned, but it still means Njoku who has now gotten in one limited practice since going down in Week 1. It also means he did not bounce back better than expected, etc. from his Wednesday return. There is still a chance Njoku suits up against the Commanders, but he needs to be considered genuinely questionable.