Tucker Kraft May Be on a Snap Count for Months After ACL Tear
Updated September 2, 2026. Projections are Football Nation editorial projections. Fantasy totals use half PPR scoring unless otherwise stated.
Kraft is back in team drills, but a snap limit could shape September
Tucker Kraft tore his ACL midway through the 2025 season, yet he has progressed to eleven on eleven work and remains on track to contribute early in 2026. The Packers also placed Luke Musgrave on the reserve PUP list with a neck injury, guaranteeing that he will miss at least four games. Green Bay responded by adding veteran Jonnu Smith.
Those moves create a fascinating fantasy setup. Kraft has less direct competition from Musgrave, but the Packers now have enough depth to manage his snaps carefully. Kraft has acknowledged that some form of workload management could last into the first half of the season.
Tucker Kraft, Milwaukee VA Medical Center, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain View the original on Wikimedia Commons
What Kraft did in 2025
Kraft caught 32 of 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games before the knee injury. That produced 100.9 half PPR points, or 12.6 per game. His 15.3 yards per reception and remarkable production after the catch made him one of the league’s most efficient tight ends.
Kraft was not merely surviving on touchdowns. He averaged 10.8 yards after the catch per reception and consistently turned routine throws into explosive plays. That is exactly why Green Bay has reason to protect him from an unnecessarily heavy September workload.
Football Nation 2026 projection
Our projection assumes 13 games and managed early usage: 49 receptions, 610 yards and six touchdowns. That equals 121.5 half PPR points. A fully healthy Kraft could exceed the projection, but Jonnu Smith may remain involved even after Kraft’s workload expands.
For Week 1, Kraft should be viewed as a borderline starter rather than an automatic top five option. If Green Bay confirms that he will play normal passing downs, his efficiency makes him worth the risk. If the team announces a firm snap count, managers should prefer a healthy tight end with a secure route share.
Musgrave’s absence raises Kraft’s long term ceiling because one competitor is removed. Smith’s arrival lowers the urgency to force Kraft onto the field. Both things can be true.
The number that will reveal Kraft’s real value
Snap percentage can be misleading because Kraft may stay on the field to block. Routes run per dropback will tell fantasy managers whether Green Bay truly trusts him as a receiver. A modest snap total with a strong route rate would be encouraging. A large snap total built mostly on blocking would leave him touchdown dependent. That distinction will matter throughout September while the Packers balance his explosiveness against the need to protect his knee.
Bottom line: Kraft is a strong season long bet, but his early fantasy value will depend on routes, not merely whether he is active.
Sources: AP practice report | Reuters Jonnu Smith report
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