Who Should I Start? Tucker Kraft or Mason Taylor

Monday, January 12, 3:07 PM

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) said on Monday that he's targeting a Week 1 return for the start of the 2026 season this fall, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "By the time Week 1 rolls around, I'll be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproofed by then. I already feel pretty good. My progress so far has been great. Some would say even ahead of schedule," Kraft said. The 25-year-old tore his ACL in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Before the season-ending injury, Kraft was well on his way to a breakout campaign in his third year in the league, as he caught 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight starts. In 2024, he had a 50-707-7 line in 17 regular-season games. Kraft's 2026 fantasy value will mainly be tied to whether he's ready for the season opener, and if he is, he should be considered a strong TE1 target.

Friday, January 2, 12:20 PM

New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor (neck) has officially been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Buffalo Bills, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Taylor's rookie campaign will end with four straight missed games due to a neck injury. Head coach Aaron Glenn said that Taylor didn't have a setback with his injury. "Doctor's orders," Glenn said. Jelani Woods (hamstring) will also be out for the Jets this weekend, so Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt will compete for pass-catching duties at TE for the team in the final game of the season. The 21-year-old will wrap up his first year in the NFL with 44 receptions on 65 targets for 369 yards and one touchdown. Taylor wasn't really relevant in 12-team fantasy leagues, and his outlook moving forward will all depend on the Jets' plans at quarterback.