3 Studs & 3 Duds From Vikings' Week 4 Win Against the Dolphins (Hockenson Shines, Jennings Remains a Concern)

It's time to look at who stepped up and who might need to step aside.

Veteran TE T.J. Hockenson was easily one of the Vikings' biggest studs in Sunday's win over the Dolphins. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Vikings remain undefeated after their Week 4 victory over the winless Dolphins, but the 15-10 win wasn't the one-sided game many fans expected based on their records heading into the game.

Miami scored the only touchdown of the game, but Minnesota's defense and kicking kept the Vikings ahead for the entire contest. The crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium was quite vocal about their displeasure with the offense, which seemed to improve as the game went on.

Some Vikings players had better games than others. Sadly, there were a few players who struggled to contribute in Sunday's win.

Let's take a look at Minnesota's studs and duds from the game against the Dolphins.

Stud: T.J. Hockenson, tight end

Someone needed to step up as a pass-catcher with Justin Jefferson on the sidelines. While he recovers from his ankle injury, T.J. Hockenson had a great day. He caught all 13 of his targets from quarterback Kyler Murray, gaining a team-high 119 yards through the air.

Hockenson would have had a touchdown, but he slid before crossing the goal line, so Minnesota could have let the clock expire by taking knees with the lead instead of giving the ball back to the Dolphins. While it was a smart play, a lot of fans would have loved to have seen the touchdown scored.

Dud: Jauan Jennings, wide receiver

With Jefferson out, this was a huge opportunity for Jauan Jennings to finally have a breakout game for the Vikings. Coming into this game, he had one catch for one yard on the season, and he continued to struggle on Sunday afternoon, catching one pass for eight yards.

Jauan Jennings hasn't even come close to living up to expectations, which leaves his outlook with the Vikings up in the air. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The $8 million Minnesota paid to sign the former 49ers touchdown machine as a free agent this offseason feels like highway robbery at this point, and he may not get many more opportunities to change that impression.

Stud: Will Reichard, kicker

Another week, more praise for kicker Will Reichard. Once again, he had a perfect day for Minnesota, making all five field goal attempts, including one from 50 yards out. Every point the Vikings scored this week came from Will the Thrill's leg.

To put into perspective how good Reichard has been, his last missed kick was in Week 8 of the 2025 season. Considering that he hasn't been kicking many field goals from close to the uprights, that makes it even more impressive and helps to build his All-Pro case.

Dud: Johnny Hekker, punter

Minnesota once again turned to veteran punter Johnny Hekker with starter Brett Thorson sidelined with a hamstring injury. Typically, the 15-year pro is as reliable as a special teams player can be, but his punting in Week 4 left a lot to be desired.

Hekker punted four times against Miami, averaging only 37.8 yards and getting one touchback. Considering his longest punt of the day was 52 yards, that shows how inconsistent he was with the depth of his kicks. Hopefully, Thorson doesn't miss much more time.

Stud: Aaron Jones, running back

Starting running back Aaron Jones Sr., 31, is playing through a knee injury and could have used some help to get things done on the ground. Instead, head coach Kevin O'Connell made him their bell-cow rusher, and Jones cashed in on those opportunities.

Aaron Jones Sr. continues to thrive as the Vikings' bell-cow RB, even if the backup situation behind him could use improvement. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jones ran the ball 20 times for the Vikings, gaining 94 yards while adding four catches for 34 yards. Having 128 yards of offense come from a player who probably should have been on a snap count is big, but he shouldn't be asked to do that often.

Dud: Demond Claiborne, running back

As previously stated. Jones shouldn't have to carry the burden of Minnesota's run game alone. With Jordan Mason on injured reserve while he recovers from thumb surgery, the Vikings needed Demond Claiborne or DeeJay Dallas to step up.

Claiborne only had three rushing attempts and gained 12 yards, while Dallas didn't record a single carry. Dallas had one catch for 10 yards, but the duo having only four touches, compared to Jones's 24, is not a productive or healthy ratio for the season.

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