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The Green Bay Packers addressed their tight-end room via the 2023 NFL Draft. They selected former Oregon State standout Luke Musgrave in the second round (No. 42 overall) and South Dakota State's Tucker Kraft 36 picks later.
Musgrave and Kraft showed their potential in the latter part of their rookie seasons. Kraft's consistent performance from Weeks 14-17 with 64, 57, 60, and 48 receiving yards, and Musgrave's impressive 52 yards and a touchdown during Green Bay's Wild Card round road victory over the Dallas Cowboys are clear indicators of their capabilities.
With both players showing promise, head coach Matt LaFleur faces a delightful "problem" in determining their starting tight end. However, recent developments seem to favor one of them slightly in taking the coveted starting role.
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Why Luke Musgrave is Green Bay's TE1
Musgrave and Kraft had nearly identical stats last season. Kraft had 31 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns, while Musgrave had 34 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown.
But in his May 15 article, Pro Football Focus writer Bradley Locker identified Musgrave as the Packers' breakout candidate for the 2024 NFL season. Locker wrote:
“He played in just 13 games because of a lacerated kidney, but he was elite at the end of 2023: his 91.9 receiving grade between Week 18 and the divisional round led all tight ends. Musgrave is a player to buy stock in entering 2024.”
While the injury to his kidney limited him to 11 regular-season games, he bounced back strongly until the Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. More importantly, he is healthy coming into training camp.
Watching some Packers. LaFleur easily one of my favorite play-callers. Sick design here for Luke Musgrave, who was used on screens and deep crossing routes as a rookie. All these young TEs and WRs serve a nice role. pic.twitter.com/foUNkiAVvX
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) May 15, 2024
Conversely, the same couldn't be said for Kraft as he deals with a pectoral injury. As written by Packers Wire's Zack Kruse on May 21, LaFleur said in a recent news conference:
“Tuck is going to be out until training camp. And then, hopefully, he’s back by training camp, and if not, it should be early on.”
There's no certainty that Kraft will be ready by July. He might also take time to get his feet wet as he returns to action. Therefore, Musgrave will have the advantage of being the starting tight end early in the season.
However, Musgrave's edge over Kraft could be razor-thin. It won't be surprising if Green Bay will have them line up in 12-personnel over multiple snaps throughout a game. Such a strategy adds a dimension to its offense that could give opposing defenses headaches.
Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft Fantasy Football Outlook
While LaFleur will use Musgrave and Kraft creatively on offense, it's a good idea to temper expectations for them. Jordan Love has plenty of options during passing plays, including Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks.
The Packers plan to use both Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft - sometimes at the same time. Musgrave should skew towards pass, Kraft towards inline blocking.
They have so many good WRs, targets could be spread out. Musgrave is more of a dyno or best ball pick than redraft for me. https://t.co/SdvYIzPTZs
— Andrew Cooper (@CoopAFiasco) May 9, 2024
Love will distribute the ball between all of his young playmakers, limiting Musgrave and Kraft's opportunities. Therefore, both tight ends are better off as late-round selections with solid upside. Neither projects as a high-volume league winner.
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