Week 1 at Cincinnati Bengals
Chris Herndon was a late addition to the Vikings, as the team traded for him on August 31st, shortly after starting tight end Irv Smith Jr. suffered a torn meniscus that ended his season. Herndon projects to take over as the top pass-catcher at tight end, but his late arrival could lead to a lower snap count in Week 1. We’re likely to see the Vikings' targets narrowly distributed between Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook, especially in the early stages of the season.
Herndon was a major disappointment with the Jets last season, but let’s not forget that he had a promising rookie year, catching 39-of-56 targets for 502 yards and four touchdowns. This is a player who can make an impact at a scarce tight end position later in the year. While the Bengals ranked 25th in aFPA to tight ends last year, this isn’t the spot to use Herndon, as he still needs to get acclimated to the offense. Monitor his usage here, but keep him on your bench in deeper leagues while keeping an eye on him while he’s on the waiver wire in shallower formats.
