Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Harold Fannin Jr. vs T.J. HockensonWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Harold Fannin Jr. is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.4 PPG to T.J. Hockenson's 5.8 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Harold Fannin Jr. is the better fantasy play this season.

Harold Fannin Jr. has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 3.6-PPG advantage is real (9.4 to 5.8), and Harold Fannin Jr.'s 7 touchdowns show scoring upside. T.J. Hockenson is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TECleveland Browns#9PPG LEADER

Harold Fannin Jr.

PPG

9.4

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

731

Rec TDs

Targets

107

Bye

Week 11

TEMinnesota Vikings#30

T.J. Hockenson

PPG

5.8

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

438

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 6

The Edge Chart

Harold Fannin Jr.

T.J. Hockenson

Head to Head

9.4 PPG5.8 PPG

16 GP15 GP

Bye: Week 11Bye: Week 6

Fantasy Tiers

Harold Fannin Jr.: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #9 at the position). T.J. Hockenson: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #30 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Harold Fannin Jr. is producing at 43% of elite pace and T.J. Hockenson at 26%. That ranking gap means Harold Fannin Jr. carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Harold Fannin Jr. vs T.J. Hockenson: The Full Breakdown

Harold Fannin Jr. and T.J. Hockenson are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Harold Fannin Jr. averaged 9.4 PPG across 16 games with the Cleveland Browns, while T.J. Hockenson posted 5.8 PPG in 15 appearances for the Minnesota Vikings.

A 3.6-PPG gap gives Harold Fannin Jr. the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Harold Fannin Jr. is the volume tight end in this matchup with 72 receptions for 731 yards, while T.J. Hockenson profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (3 scores on 51 catches). In weeks where T.J. Hockenson finds the end zone he out-scores Harold Fannin Jr., but the floor gap is real.

Harold Fannin Jr. has his bye in Week 11, and T.J. Hockenson rests in Week 6. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Harold Fannin Jr. at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. T.J. Hockenson is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Harold Fannin Jr. (age 21) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. T.J. Hockenson (age 28) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

•Harold Fannin Jr. outscored T.J. Hockenson by a projected 61 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Harold Fannin Jr. played 16 games in 2025 compared to T.J. Hockenson's 15. That durability gap means Harold Fannin Jr. contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Harold Fannin Jr. scored 7 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Harold Fannin Jr. saw 107 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Harold Fannin Jr. is 7 years younger than T.J. Hockenson (21 vs 28), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Harold Fannin Jr. vs T.J. Hockenson: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Harold Fannin Jr.	T.J. Hockenson
PPG (Half-PPR)	9.4	5.8
Games Played	16	15
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	150	87
Receptions	72	51
Rec/Game	4.5	3.4
Receiving Yards	731	438
Rec Yds/Game	45.7	29.2
Receiving TDs	6	3
Targets	107	66
Target Share/Game	6.7	4.4
Age	21	28
Experience	-	6 yrs
Bye Week	Week 11	Week 6

Summary

Harold Fannin Jr. outscored T.J. Hockenson by 3.6 PPG in 2025 (9.4 to 5.8). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Harold Fannin Jr. or T.J. Hockenson in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Harold Fannin Jr. has the edge at 9.4 PPG compared to T.J. Hockenson's 5.8 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Harold Fannin Jr. and T.J. Hockenson average in 2025?▾

Harold Fannin Jr. averaged 9.4 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. T.J. Hockenson averaged 5.8 PPG over 15 games. That is a difference of 3.6 points per game.

When are Harold Fannin Jr. and T.J. Hockenson's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE) has a bye in Week 11, and T.J. Hockenson (MIN) has a bye in Week 6. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Harold Fannin Jr. or T.J. Hockenson a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Harold Fannin Jr. outscored T.J. Hockenson by 3.6 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.