Tag: Tucker Kraft

Back at full strength, Packers TE Tucker Kraft poised to build on Year 2 jump

Packers tight end Tucker Kraft is no longer in the red non-contact jersey at practice and should be at full strength entering the second half of 2024.

The Green Bay Packers are back at full strength coming out of the bye week. All 52 players on the roster practiced on Wednesday, including Jaire Alexander, Evan Williams, and Josh Myers, who missed the most recent game against the Detroit Lions.

While the return of these key starters is a great sign, it wasn’t the only positive news on the injury front. Tight end Tucker Kraft, who had been wearing a red non-contact jersey since Week 4, was back in his regular practice jersey, indicating he is back at full strength.

Kraft initially injured his shoulder in Green Bay’s Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans but was able to finish the game. Since then, he’s worn a red jersey at practice to limit further injury risk. Despite being limited in practice, Kraft has started all nine games this season and has been a key contributor on offense.

Kraft leads the team with five touchdown receptions this season, tied for the second-most among tight ends. His 28 catches for 376 yards also mark a significant leap from last year, when he finished with 31 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.

Beyond the stat sheet, Kraft has become one of the Packers’ most physical players. Whether lining up in-line or out in space, his blocking has been instrumental in the team’s third-ranked rushing offense. He has also made the most of his run-after-catch opportunities. According to Pro Football Focus, Kraft ranks second among tight ends in yards after catch this season (266) and is tied for the second most missed tackles forced with nine.

Kraft’s run-after-catch ability was one of his best strengths coming out of South Dakota State and has since translated to the NFL. The grit and toughness Kraft displays on a play-by-play basis have been impressive. He was already having a breakout year, and now, back at full strength, one of the NFL’s top offenses may have just gotten even more dangerous.

Packers add TE Tucker Kraft to Week 6 injury report

The Packers added tight end Tucker Kraft to the Week 6 injury report with a new groin injury. He was limited on Thursday.

Not only are the Green Bay Packers expecting to place tight end Luke Musgrave on injured reserve with a serious ankle injury, but the team’s ascending star at the tight end position — Tucker Kraft — now has a groin injury.

The Packers added Kraft to the Week 6 injury report on Thursday. He was listed as limited during Thursday’s practice.

The injuries to Musgrave and Kraft help explain why the Packers are signing tight end John FitzPatrick off the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons.

Musgrave and Kraft were the only updates to the injury report on Thursday. Musgrave went from limited on Wednesday to non-participant on Thursday, while Kraft was the only new addition.

It’s unclear if Kraft’s injury will be limiting for Sunday’s showdown with the Arizona Cardinals. The Packers will release a final injury report with playing status designations on Friday afternoon.

Through five games, Kraft has 16 catches for 218 yards and a team-high three touchdown catches. Not only has he been a key run blocker this season, but Kraft has 10 catches for 141 yards and three scores over the last two games, showcasing his enormous potential in the passing game. His highlight play in Week 5 came when he broke a tackle and raced into the end zone for a 66-yard score. His ability after the catch has proved to be an elite trait for the Packers offense.

Until FitzPatrick is added to the 53-man roster, which could happen Friday, second-year tight end Ben Sims is the only healthy tight end on the roster. The Packers also have rookie Messiah Swinson on the practice squad.

Kraft answered questions at his locker on Thursday, and there was no suggestion he wouldn’t be available for Sunday against the Cardinals.

“It’s the next man up mentality,” Kraft said of Musgrave. “It breaks my heart that he has to go through an injury. The next guy is always ready. I believe in Ben, he will be ready.”

Kraft has been on the field for 83 percent of the offense’s snaps for the Packers through five games in 2024.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft was flying on his 66-yard touchdown vs. Rams

Tucker Kraft hit almost 20 miles per hour on his 66-yard touchdown against the Rams, making him the fastest TE on a scoring play so far this season.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft showcased elite speed on his long touchdown catch against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5.

In fact, no player at his position has been faster on a scoring play this season.

According to Next Gen Stats, Kraft’s top speed on his 66-yard touchdown — 19.70 miles per hour — is the fastest speed from a tight end on a touchdown-scoring play so far through five games in 2024.

Kraft ran the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds coming out of South Dakota State in 2023. Relative to his size, Kraft came into the NFL with elite speed at the position.

Now we have on-field confirmation.

The Packers had Kraft mic’d up during Sunday’s win in Los Angeles. The second-year tight end said he wasn’t happy that he let a defensive back tackle him in the first half. When he got a chance at redemption in the open field in the second half, he made the most of it.

On a deep crosser off play-action, Kraft sprung wide open to make the catch, and he bounced off one tackle and ran past another defender on his way to the end zone.

“Wonder how fast I was going,” Kraft said on the sideline following the touchdown. “My legs hurt. My glutes. My glutes are on fire.”

Now Kraft knows. He was cruising at elite speeds. Through five weeks, he’ll hold the crown as the fastest-moving tight end on a touchdown-scoring play.

While Kraft was flying, the NFL is full of athletic freaks. Kraft’s top speed didn’t even crack the top 20 fastest ball-carriers in the NFL during Week 5. The fastest player was Brian Thomas Jr., who hit 22.15 miles per hour on his long touchdown for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

By battling through injury and playing physical, Packers TE Tucker Kraft is channeling his inner Mark Bavaro

After watching former Giants TE Mark Bavaro, Tucker Kraft is even more committed to a physical and tough playstyle.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft suffered a shoulder injury during last week’s win over the Tennessee Titans. By then, Green Bay was up two scores late into the third quarter and probably could have finished the game without Kraft. However, the second-year tight end felt like he could continue playing, so he did.

“It wasn’t even a question in my head,” said Kraft. “I desire to be on the field.”

After a brief exit, Kraft returned to the game and even made a tackle on punt coverage a few plays later. This came after he had already done extensive work as a run blocker.

That is the kind of dirty work expected out of tight end in Green Bay. If you’re not catching passes, you’re getting your hands dirty as a blocker or on special teams.

Tight end can be one of the game’s most demanding positions. After catching a pass, you’re tackled like a receiver. When you’re asked to block, you’re expected to do so against defensive linemen who may outweigh you by more than 30 pounds. Naturally, with all the physicality, injuries happen.

Kraft embraces the challenge, using it as motivation. Following Thursday’s practice, Kraft revealed he has new inspiration for who he wants to model his game after.

“Last night, I got on YouTube and looked up Mark Bavaro, so that’s just kind of the mindset I’m going with from now on. I’m going to be tough; I’m going to play through things. Everybody does,” Kraft said.

Bavaro played nine seasons in the NFL (1985-94) and was regarded as one of the league’s toughest players for his playstyle and ability to play through injuries. Bavaro’s head coach at Notre Dame, Gerry Faust, even said, “He plays with pain better than any player I’ve seen in my 37 years of coaching.”

Born in 2000, Kraft obviously never got to see Bavaro play live. However, after hearing about Bavaro from people around him, including Packers special teams coach Rich Bisaccia, he decided to check him out.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me to look him up, especially coach Rich Bisaccia. He said you got to give this guy a look, so I did, and I was amazed,” he said.

Watching Bavaro, Kraft gained respect for his physicality in both the run game and his ability to pick up yards after the catch.

“Just being physical, being tough, YAC — that’s really all that guy was worried about. He set a precedent in the run game, so it’s just trying to channel my inner Bavaro,” Kraft said with a grin.

Through the first three games, Kraft is doing a pretty good job of emulating the retired tight end. Entering the season, one of his goals was to be one of the run-blocking tight ends in outside zone. He’s off to a pretty good start as a key contributor for the league’s No. 1 rushing offense. Kraft has also caught six passes for 76 yards. In Bavaro fashion, 66 of those yards have come after the catch, which ranks sixth among tight ends in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.

There’s nothing wrong with idolizing players known for their toughness, but there’s also a need to be smart about injuries. Green Bay’s medical staff tends to err on the side of caution regarding a player’s health, but they will clear someone if they are confident they can protect themselves.

This week in practice, Kraft has been wearing a red non-contact jersey to keep him healthy for a highly-anticipated matchup with the 3-0 Minnesota Vikings. Knowing the skillset he brings to the offense, the Packers aren’t going to risk any long-term injuries to Kraft. Still, they can appreciate his grit and toughness.

Fantasy Football: 15 best waiver wire targets for Week 2

Isaiah Likely is the top waiver wire target in fantasy football this week. These players are also worth consideration.

The first week of the 2024 NFL season is in the books and it’s now time to hit the waiver wire in your fantasy football leagues.

To help you win the waiver wire, we’ve put together a list of 15 players to target this week, including options at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, defense and even kicker. Each player’s roster percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses.

Note that these players are listed by position and ranked by their roster percentage, and that does not necessarily reflect the order in which they should be claimed this week. For example, tight end Isaiah Likely should be a top priority ahead of Week 2.

Now, let’s get to the list!

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Week 2

1. QB Baker Mayfield (34%): Don’t expect four touchdowns every week, but Mayfield is a serviceable fill-in if you need help at quarterback.

2. RB Jaleel McLaughlin (45%): He led the Broncos in carries (10) and also had five targets as a receiver out of the backfield. McLaughlin’s production (32 yards) was poor, but his utilization is promising.

3. RB Rico Dowdle (40%): He had two fewer carries (8) than Ezekiel Elliott (10) and one fewer target (1). It’s early, but Dowdle’s worth stashing.

4. RB Bucky Irving (21%): He led the Buccaneers with 62 rushing yards despite getting six fewer carries (9) than Rachaad White (15). Irving also got three targets as a receiver out of the backfield.

5. RB Tank Bigsby (5%): Travis Etienne remains the Jaguars’ top running back, but Bigsby received the same amount of carries (12) and ended up leading the team with 73 rushing yards.

6. WR Rashid Shaheed (42%): He turned five targets into three receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown.

7. WR Wan’Dale Robinson (7%): The Giants look like a team that will have to throw often while trailing and Robinson was Daniel Jones’ favorite receiver on Sunday with six catches for 44 yards on 12 targets.

8. WR Greg Dortch (2%): He had a team-high eight targets on Sunday and led the Cardinals with six catches for 47 yards.

9. WR Devaughn Vele (1%): He tied for second on the team with eight targets. Vele hauled in all eight targets and while his yardage total (39) underwhelmed, he will be a serviceable PPR receiver if those targets continue.

10. WR Alec Pierce (1%): He’s a boom-or-bust WR who turned three targets into three catches for 125 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.

11. TE Taysom Hill (46%): With several tight ends injured and other TEs underperforming, Hill turned in a top-12 performance on Sunday, and it was a quiet day (five carries for 35 yards and one catch for one yard). He is a boom-or-bust prospect, but Hill is a good fill-in option if you need a TE.

12. TE Isaiah Likely (10%): Likely is the fantasy football waiver wire target of the week after hauling in nine receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown on 12 targets in Week 1. There’s no guarantee he will have better utilization than Mark Andrews (2 targets) on a week-to-week basis, but Likely is a must-add in case this trend continues.

13. TE Tucker Kraft (4%): Kraft played 94% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps in Brazil, a sign that he’s the new TE1 over Luke Musgrave (25%). That only led to two catches for 37 yards on three targets in Week 1, but Kraft emerging as a starter is notable for TE-needy managers in deep leagues.

14. DST Los Angeles Chargers (11%): After a strong showing in Week 1, the Chargers now get a great matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2.

15. K Chris Boswell (4%): Whether it’s Justin Fields or Russell Wilson under center, Pittsburgh’s offense seems to be good enough to move the ball but not quite good enough to score many touchdowns. That’s good news for Boswell’s fantasy football stack. He made six field goals on Sunday.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Packers TE Tucker Kraft stands out at joint practice with Ravens

Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was a standout for the No. 1 offense during Thursday’s joint practice with the Ravens.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was productive as a pass-catcher during an impressive performance with the No. 1 offense during Thursday’s joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens.

According to Mike Spofford of Packers.com, Kraft — who is back to 100 percent after recovering from offseason surgery on a pectoral injury — caught at least five passes during 11-on-11 periods facing the Ravens defense.

“If there was an individual standout, it was Tucker Kraft, the second-year tight end,” Spofford said. “I had him for five receptions today against that Ravens defense. There was some screens, some deep crossers over the middle. No. 85 was a big-time presence on the field for Jordan Love today.”

Kraft caught one pass on a designed rollout and rumbled for big yards. On one play in the red zone, Kraft caught a screen and followed blockers for a score. On multiple dropbacks, he hauled in a pass from Love off an in-breaking route down the field, including one off a play-action fake.

Last year’s third-round pick caught eyes on the sideline during Thursday’s practice and is impressing the man under center.

“Tucker looks great,” Love said. “Since he’s been back out there, we’ve felt his presence, for sure. I think he’s hit the ground running. I think he has some fresh legs right now after missing a little bit, but he looks great out there. It’s very apparent on the field and it’s great to have him back.”

Kraft appears to be picking up where he left off to end his promising rookie season. Over the final nine games of 2023, Kraft caught 29 passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns. He added five catches and a score in the postseason. Overall, Kraft finished with the third-most catches (31) and second-most receiving yards (355) among rookie tight ends in Packers history.

Kraft’s only impediment to a true breakout season in 2024 is the quality of weapons around him. Luke Musgrave is going to get snaps and targets at tight end, the Packers believe they have four starting caliber wide receivers and Josh Jacobs is likely to be a workhorse at running back.

There is only so many snaps and targets to go around. But Thursday’s practice proved Kraft can still be a difference maker for Love and the Packers passing game in 2024. Like Love, the second-year tight end looks ready for Week 1.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft injured while bench pressing: Muscle ‘just popped off the bone’

Packers tight end Tucker Kraft tore his pectoral muscle while bench pressing this offseason.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was bench pressing when he tore his pectoral muscle while training this offseason.

The second-year tight end is expected to be out until training camp while he recovers from surgery.

“Just a regular lift,” Kraft told Bill Huber of Packers Central. “It was my last rep of the day on bench. Nothing crazy, not heavy weight. We were speed-benching and it just popped right off the bone.”

Bench pressing is the typical mechanism for injuring the pectoral muscle.

Kraft was in a sling during OTAs last week. A sling is typically used after surgery to immobilize the arm for 4-6 weeks, according to Hospital for Special Surgery. Because the tendon ruptured from the bone, surgery was required for Kraft.

While Kraft could miss part of training camp, he should be back with plenty of practice time accrued before the Week 1 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. He’ll have almost four months of recovery time between.

Kraft, a third-round pick out of South Dakota State in 2023, caught 31 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season as a rookie. He played 80 percent or more of the offense’s snaps during each of the last nine games, including the playoffs.

Kraft and Luke Musgrave could be a dynamic tight end duo if Kraft can return to full capacity early in 2024. Musgrave is returning this season after dealing with a lacerated kidney to end his rookie season.

Coach Matt LaFleur also tore his pectoral while bench pressing this offseason. He was in a sling during the draft and is still recovering. Right tackle Zach Tom will also be out until training camp while recovering from a pectoral tear.

Win or lose, the Packers’ young guns are going out in a blaze of glory

Don’t confuse the Packers’ youth for weakness. The Green Bay Packers are a confident team that is ready for any obstacle.

Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle had one of the most quotable NFL Films sound bites of all time when he yelled, “Regulators, mount up!” quoting Emilio Estevez’s Billy the Kid.

Funny enough, though, it is the hated Green Bay Packers who are the NFL’s young guns, and their sharp-shooting quarterback has them within one more shootout of getting to the NFC Championship Game.

With an average of 25.7 years of age, the Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL, but that hasn’t fazed them in the slightest. Since Week 12, their offense is second in the league in EPA per play, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers. They are also third in success rate in that time frame, and their young leader has emerged as one of the best gunslingers in the NFL.

In the final seven weeks of the season, Jordan Love was second in the NFL in EPA per dropback, and he led the NFL in CPOE. Love also finished sixth in the NFL in DYAR and DVOA (min. 200 attempts). The Utah State product has been one of the best deep ball passers this year as well, finishing fifth in deep-ball completions and third in yards off deep balls.

Love’s emergence as one of the most complete passers in the game has been the silver bullet in the revolver for the Packers’ group of youthful playmakers. Jayden Reed caught 64 passes and eight touchdowns. Romeo Doubs matched Reed’s eight touchdown catches. Dontayvion Wicks had north of 500 yards. Both Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave became vital parts of the intermediate passing game as well, averaging over 10 yards per catch apiece. And don’t forget about Christian Watson, who missed time with injury but averaged 15 yards per reception in the nine regular-season games he played. Every one of the Packers’ top six receivers is a rookie or in his second season — that is unheard of in terms of a team that just won a playoff game. This isn’t a group that has shaky hands when it comes time to pull the trigger; this is a motley crew of young, confident desperados who just kicked in the doors of the corral, took what they wanted and knew that there was nothing their opponents could do about it.

Now the Packers are reaching the climax of their cinematic season. They face an absolute wagon of a 49ers team that will look to exploit their 27th-ranked defense in terms of DVOA. The Packers defense hasn’t been good when it comes to early-down pass defense, and the 49ers lead the NFL in empty formations on first down, doing so 6 percent of the time. Green Bay’s defense was 26th in yards allowed per drive; the 49ers’ offense led the NFL in yards per drive.

San Francisco will look to kill the Packers with a thousand cuts. Green Bay’s defense played phenomenally against Dallas in the wild-card round, but there is a large difference between playing a Mike McCarthy offense and a Kyle Shanahan offense. The 49ers painted those end zones red, they’re going to be well rested, and they will be out to make an example of Brown County Regulators.

Metaphorically, the Packers are already pinned down and surrounded, ready to make their final stand with all odds against them. That said, this team has shown all season that they aren’t afraid of the moment. They aren’t afraid of the 49ers riding in on their white steeds ready to hold down their fort. Will they come out victorious? No one seems to like their odds. But win or lose, this iteration of the Green Bay Packers, and the young guns who lead them, are going down swinging, guns up in a blaze of glory.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 18 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver-wire targets for Week 18.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft hurdles a defender and gets hit in a sensitive place

Packers rookie tight end Tucker Kraft plays with reckless abandon, and he paid for it on one particularly “nutty” play.

Watching Green Bay Packers rookie tight end Tucker Kraft pay football reminds me of Randy Cross; quote about Ronnie Lott: “He doesn’t care about his own body; why should he care about yours?” However, there are times when Kraft’s style of play will bite him right in a sensitive area. This happened when Kraft caught a pass from Jordan Love against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Kraft attempted to jump over defensive back Dee Delaney, and he was… well, let’s just say that this was a “Peanut Punch” without the “Pea.”

Ouch.