Josh Oliver DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver caught one of two targets for 26 yards during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He had been averaging 10.9 fantasy points (PPR) over his last four games, but then he missed two weeks due to injury and came back down to earth in his return to the field on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps part of the reason for his reduced production was that he played just 50 percent of the offensive snaps; that was his lowest mark since Week 3. Oliver remains the clear No. 2 tight end behind T.J. Hockenson, which lowers his floor significantly and keeps him off the fantasy radar in most redraft leagues.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (ankle, wrist) was a full participant during Thursday's practice session. This is now back-to-back full practice sessions for Oliver ahead of the Week 14 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Oliver appears to be on track to return from a two-game absence on Sunday. However, his fantasy value is likely going to be limited with T.J. Hockenson back in the fold. The expectation is that Oliver will serve as the No. 2 tight end, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect Oliver to be a viable fantasy option. He could see a few targets, but probably won't be enough to warrant keeping him rostered in most fantasy formats.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (ankle) is expected to make his return to the field for the Week 14 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Oliver has missed each of the last two games, but head coach Kevin O'Connell said that Oliver should return this weekend. The expectation is that Oliver is going to take a backseat with T.J. Hockenson back in the mix again. Before going down, Oliver was posting a few decent performances, but is unlikely to carry reliable streaming value with Hockenson healthy again.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (wrist, ankle) missed a second consecutive practice on Thursday. The 27-year-old missed Week 12, and it appears as though he'll face an uphill battle to play in Week 13, too. Oliver had been performing quite well despite operating behind T.J. Hockenson, catching 12 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown over three games from Week 9 through Week 11. Assuming Oliver is inactive this Sunday, Johnny Mundt will earn more opportunities as the direct backup to Hockenson.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Oliver hasn't been able to practice all week due to a lingering ankle issue. His absence won't mean too much for the Vikings offense. Oliver has taken a backseat with T.J. Hockenson back in the mix. Last week, Oliver hauled in all three of his targets for 34 yards in the win over the Tennessee Titans. The absence of Oliver means that Hockenson should see a full-time role and could be an uptick for his value. However, Hockenson should already be treated as a TE1 heading into this game.