Start Colston Loveland or T.J. Hockenson? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Colston Loveland over T.J. Hockenson in Week 7.

T.J. Hockenson is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start Colston Loveland. Drafters take Colston Loveland at ADP 71 and T.J. Hockenson at 224.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.3 fantasy points for Colston Loveland, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for Colston Loveland is 44 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.4 touchdowns (12, 11 and 13 market sources).

No Week 7 player market is posted for T.J. Hockenson yet. His market-based projections were 10.7 and 10.6 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 10.6, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

The market-based projection for T.J. Hockenson is 0.3 touchdowns (6 market sources).

That puts Colston Loveland 0.7 points ahead of T.J. Hockenson on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Colston Loveland and CHI host NE on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

NE allowed 10.2 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 7th fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 47 yards and 0.2 touchdowns a game against NE.

T.J. Hockenson and MIN host IND on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

IND allowed 13.3 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 15th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 44 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against IND.

By points allowed to the position, T.J. Hockenson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Colston Loveland is not on the injury report.

T.J. Hockenson is listed as out with a concussion injury.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Colston Loveland played 86 percent of CHI snaps, drew 15 percent of the targets, earned 13 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Colston Loveland, Week 3 against PHI: 57 of 72 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 31 yards.

Colston Loveland, Week 4 against NYJ: 86 of 93 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 57 yards.

Colston Loveland, Week 5 against GB: 55 of 69 snaps, 5 targets and 2 catches for 19 yards.

Colston Loveland, Week 6 against ATL: 68 of 77 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 65 yards, 1 touchdown.

Through Week 5, T.J. Hockenson played 60 percent of MIN snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 19 percent of the air yards and had 15 percent of the red zone chances.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 2 against CHI: 36 of 52 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 29 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 3 against TB: 50 of 59 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 11 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 4 against MIA: 65 of 78 snaps, 13 targets and 13 catches for 119 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 5 against NO: 2 of 71 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 7 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Colston Loveland played 16 games for CHI and scored 165.1 PPR points, 10.3 a game, finishing TE12.

He caught 58 of 82 targets for 713 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 463 air yards.

He was on the field for 63 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, T.J. Hockenson played 15 games for MIN and scored 112.8 PPR points, 7.5 a game, finishing TE26.

He caught 51 of 66 targets for 438 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 224 air yards.

He was on the field for 79 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start Brock Bowers over Colston Loveland.
• Start Colston Loveland over Cade Otton.
• Start Colston Loveland over Dallas Goedert.
• Start Dallas Goedert over T.J. Hockenson.
• Start Dalton Schultz over T.J. Hockenson.
• Start George Kittle over T.J. Hockenson.