Tucker Kraft
Kraft is Green Bay's clear No. 1 tight end and a near every-down player who has come back from the ACL tear with a full workload, though his production has been uneven.
Role
SI's snap count for the Bears game (checked today) has Kraft at 47 of 61 offensive snaps, or 77 percent. SI said that was a bit less than usual because of the score. The other tight ends in that game were Mark Redman (21 snaps, used as a blocker), Jonnu Smith (21) and Josh Whyle (11). FantasyData noted Kraft topped 90% of snaps twice in his first four games. NBC Sports (Sept. 25) said he played 52 of 53 snaps and ran a route on 32 of 34 dropbacks in Week 2. In Week 1, Kraft ran 20 routes to Smith's 18. Through four games he had 24 targets, and he drew 15 of them in Weeks 3 and 4. The wire note has him on all five targets against the Bears. Luke Musgrave is on PUP-R and Thomas Yassmin is on IR, per RotoWire's depth chart listing. I did not fetch that page, so the listing may be out of date.
The usage is already there. Kraft has the snap share and the targets, and he is a yards-after-catch threat. NBC Sports called his role elite. FantasyData said opportunity hasn't been the problem. Optimists see a player a year removed from a torn ACL who is getting stronger, with drops and rust likely to fade. The Bears game (5 for 5, 64 yards) and the Tampa Bay game (6 of 7, a touchdown) fit that story. Before his injury last year he led the team in every receiving category, per packers.com.
The production hasn't matched the volume. Kraft has one touchdown and a short average depth of target (5.2 yards per PFF). PFF graded him 32nd of 33 qualified tight ends, and drops were a recurring complaint, with NBC noting two in the Week 3 loss. Skeptics also point to Green Bay's other tight ends. Smith and Redman take real snaps, and Redman is valued as a blocker. They say Kraft may still be short of full speed, and that the offense's scoring (31 points in the Bears game, 17 against Tampa Bay) can swing his usage.
Where analysts split
The question is whether Kraft's heavy usage will turn into steady production. Some read the drops and short targets as rust that will fade. Others think he is still not physically back to his pre-injury form. I found no reporting that disputes his snaps or his role.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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