Tucker Kraft Injury: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups

With the injury to Tucker Kraft, fantasy football managers are left with a void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your fantasy football waiver wire this week. And also be sure to check out all of our full fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacements

Injury Outlook

Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)

According to Mike Silver of The Athletic [h/t Matt Schneidman], Tucker Kraft is feared to have torn his ACL.

This would be massively devastating for fantasy managers as, from Weeks 1 to 8, Kraft was the TE2 in PPR leagues. The next tight ends up for the Packers are Luke Musgrave and John FitzPatrick. I expect the Packers to utilize their receivers and running back Josh Jacobs more.

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target: Tight Ends

Written by Derek Brown

Harold Fannin Jr. (TE – CLE): 42% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @NYJ, BAL, @LV
• True Value: $3
• Desperate Need: $5
• Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Harold Fannin Jr. shouldn’t even be on this list at this point. Fannin is the TE12 in fantasy points per game and ranks 14th in red-zone targets at the position. Fannin has four weekly TE1 scoring finishes (TE6, TE12, TE7, TE4). He has a 16.6% target share while averaging 44 receiving yards with 1.73 yards per route run and an 18.9% first-read share. Fannin should flirt with TE1 production for the rest of the season. Pick him up immediately.

Colston Loveland (TE – CHI): 23% Rostered

• Next Opponents: NYG, @MIN, PIT
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: OK, well, there was the big Colston Loveland breakout game we’ve been waiting for. I honestly thought this game was coming in Week 8, but it didn’t happen. I faded Loveland entering Week 9 with the return of Cole Kmet, but Kmet left the game with a concussion. Assuming Kmet will be out for Week 10, Loveland gets at least one more game with full-time run before the Chicago tight end situation becomes a mess again. In Week 9, Loveland had an 18.9% target share with six grabs, 118 receiving yards and two scores. The Giants are 18th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game allowed to tight ends, per Fantasy Points Data. Loveland is a solid streamer this week with TE1 upside.

Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ): 20% Rostered

• Next Opponents: CLE, @NE, @BAL
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Mason Taylor has been a TE1 in weekly scoring in three of his last five games (TE11, TE8, TE7). Since Week 4, he has a 20.4% target share, 39.8 receiving yards per game, 1.26 yards per route run and a 22.6% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In those five games, Taylor has seven red-zone targets. Taylor is a solid volume-infused streaming option moving forward.

Cade Otton (TE – TB): 37% Rostered

• Next Opponents: NE, @BUF, @LAR
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: If you’re looking at Cade Otton on the waiver wire, it’s as a one-week streamer for Week 10. Since Week 5, Otton has a 19.2% target share with 59.3 receiving yards per game, 2.14 yards per route run and a 12.5% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In those four games, Otton has one weekly TE1 finish (TE11). If you need help at tight end, stream him this week against the Patriots, who have allowed the 10th-most scheduled-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU): 27% Rostered

• Next Opponents: JAX, @TEN, BUF
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Entering Week 9, Dalton Schultz was the TE20 in fantasy points per game with one weekly TE1 finish this season (TE5). He had a 16.5% target share with 44 receiving yards per game, 1.66 yards per route run and a 17.5% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Against the Broncos on Sunday, Schultz had a 20% target share with six receptions and 77 scoreless receiving yards. Schultz is a strong streamer this week against a Jacksonville defense that has allowed the eighth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Theo Johnson (TE – NYG): 33% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @CHI, GB, @DET
• True Value: $1
• Desperate Need: $2
• Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Entering Week 9, Theo Johnson had been the TE11 in fantasy points per game since Week 4, drawing an 18.8% target share with 32.6 receiving yards per game, 1.22 yards per route run and a 22.6% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In those five games, he had five red-zone targets and a deep target. Against the 49ers on Sunday, Johnson had an 18.1% target share, three receptions, 27 receiving yards and a score. With Jaxson Dart playing lights out and Johnson heavily involved near the goal line, he’ll continue to be a strong weekly streaming option at tight end who can pop off at any time with TE1 upside.