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    Kraft (knee) says team may ramp up reps in-season

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    Packers TE Tucker Kraft (knee) said the team will “probably” keep him on a snap count until halfway through the 2026 season.

    Kraft is recovering from a season-ending ACL tear. He is on track to play in Week 1. Easing him into action before “sending [him] to the wolves” partway through the year, as Kraft says, makes sense. Kraft proved himself to be a top-tier real-life tight end and a locked-in TE1 in fantasy last year. He can still return TE1 numbers while playing on a snap count, likely receiving a few first-read passes that are designed with his post-catch skill set in mind. These comments should not impact his ADP negatively. For what it’s worth, Kraft also said that he is hoping to play his normal allotment of snaps in Week 1. The team may simply choose to take a conservative approach. Kraft notably resumed participating in 11-on-11 drills today.
O-Line tiers: Eagles top; Browns, Dolphins scary
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  • GB Tight End #88
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    Musgrave is coming back from a neck injury with no clear timeline for a return to action. The Packers last week signed Jonnu Smith, who will play behind Tucker Kraft to start the regular season. Smith could be an interesting waiver add if Kraft — returning from a major knee injury — misses any time in 2026.
  • GB Tight End #81
    Smith reunited with Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh last year and posted 38 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Even with NFL players actively returning to college football, Jonnu was unable to find a way to follow his favorite offensive coordinator to Ohio State. All signs point to Tucker Kraft being fully recovered from his torn ACL by Week 1, but backup tight end Luke Musgrave remains sidelined with an injury of his own. Smith won’t be on the fantasy radar as long as Kraft is healthy, but he should be a solid depth option for the Packers.
  • GB Tight End #85
    It looks like the Packers are ready to ease Kraft back into competition following the serious knee injury that ended his 2025 season. Kraft said recently that the team would “probably” keep him on a snap count to begin the regular season. That would make Kraft — one of the game’s most efficient tight ends — a dicy bet for fantasy purposes. Kraft might not be playable for the first month of the regular season, or even longer depending on his progress and the Packers’ strategies for keeping him healthy.
  • GB Tight End #85
    According to Rapoport, the “biggest question” Kraft faces is whether he will get a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL before the season kicks off. Kraft led the team in receptions (16) and receiving yards (225) when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 9 last year. At 25 years old, he is early in his prime.
  • GB Tight End #85
    ESPN’s Rob Demovsky notes this is Kraft’s first absence since he returned from the physically unable to perform list. The Packers are having their annual Family Night this evening, and Demovsky believes the team is simply giving Kraft the night off. There is no cause for concern at this time.
  • GB Tight End #85
    LaFleur elaborated that Kraft will have to hit all his benchmarks to get there, but that it’s squarely in play is great news for Kraft’s chances of being available for Week 1. We’d still expect him to be eased into camp practices, but this is trending in the right direction.
  • GB Tight End #85
    This is tremendous news for Kraft, who said earlier in the week that he expected to be activated “very soon.” Head coach Matt LaFleur said Kraft will practice on Friday but also added that he will not participate in 11-on-11s for the time being. Regardless of his participation, Kraft being back in any capacity is a great sign for his availability entering the season, and we would expect him to be a full participant in practice sooner rather than later. The fourth-year tight end caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns over eight games last season before a torn ACL ended his breakout campaign, but he should be in line for a big 2026 if he can return to the player we saw before his injury.
  • GB Tight End #85
    Kraft said all the way back in June that he would likely begin training camp on the PUP list. He added that he may simply need some time to get his conditioning right before taking the field, and his comments from today seem to confirm that. He was on pace to finish as the TE4 before suffering a torn ACL last year. Even if he starts slow in 2026, Kraft appears to be a safe bet for high-end fantasy production this year.
  • GB Tight End #85
    Kraft had left open the possibility he would be full-go for the beginning of camp, but this was always a more likely outcome. Kraft can be activated at any time, but the conservative Packers will undoubtedly take their time. Once you are off the active/PUP list, you cannot return and are no longer a candidate for reserve/PUP. In other words, the Pack will want to be sure Kraft is healthy. The ascending fourth-year pro has a strong chance at being ready for Week 1, but it is not a forgone conclusion. We will keep you updated.
  • GB Tight End #85
    This news comes shortly after the Packers signed Devonte Wyatt to a three-year, $57 million extension. Kraft, who, like Wyatt, is also in the final year of his rookie deal, is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 season but is trending toward being ready for Week 1 based on recent reports and has been among the most efficient tight ends in the league. Since earning a full-time role in 2024, Kraft has totaled 82 receptions for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 14.6 YPR. With training camp drawing near, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this deal get done in the very near future.

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    The Patriots and CB Christian Gonzalez are in agreement on a four-year, $135 million deal, according to ESPN’s Ian Rapoport.

    It’s $102 million guaranteed for the 24-year-old Gonzalez, who is entering his fourth season after being drafted 17th overall in 2023. Gonzalez went without an interception during the regular season last year, but he was a Pro Bowler anyway and he did come up with a huge pick in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship versus the Broncos. The Patriots had him under control for two more years after exercising his fifth-year option in April.
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    49ers OC Klay Kubiak said TE George Kittle “looks good” for Week 1.

    Asked whether Kittle would play in Week 1, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said, “We have two more practices, but Kittle looks good.” That was not as explicit as defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ quote on Nick Bosa’s expected status just minutes earlier, but it certainly seems to confirm mounting reports that Kittle is on track to suit up for Week 1. Kubiak added at the end of his response that Kittle’s “workload will be determined,” also reinforcing earlier reports that the team was likely to monitor his snap rate closely. Fantasy managers are likely better off taking a wait-and-see approach with Kittle until he has proven to be capable of a normal workload.
  • SF Defensive Lineman #97
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    49ers DC Raheem Morris said DE Nick Bosa is going to play in Week 1 against the Rams.

    During a media sessions late Monday, Morris was asked if Bosa would be able to go in Week 1 against the Rams, to which he responded, “Oh, he’s going out there. He’s going.” There’s no room left for interpretation about that quote, meaning Bosa is expected to make his return to the field after tearing his ACL in Week 3 of the 2025 season. Don’t expect a normal allotment of snaps in his first game in almost a calendar year, but the veteran pass-rusher can still make a significant impact when on the field. IDP managers will want to confirm his status on the team’s injury report Tuesday before making plans to insert him into Week 1 lineups.
  • SEA Wide Receiver #15
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    Seahawks WR Tory Horton (hamstring) was limited in practice Monday.

    It was the second straight day with the same level of participation for the second-year receiver, who could be headed for a game-day injury designation for the team’s season opener. We were kept in the dark regarding Horton’s ailment after he missed the final three weeks of camp, with a hamstring injury now labeled as the cause. Although Jake Bobo’s season-ending ACL tear all but guaranteed Horton a spot on game-day rosters, he remains unlikely to contribute meaningful counting stats playing behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp. Second-year undrafted free agent Montorie Foster Jr would be in line to serve as the team’s fourth receiver on Wednesday should Horton be unable to go.
  • SEA Free Safety #39
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    Seahawks S Ty Okada (hamstring) did not practice Sunday.

    It’s the second straight missed practice for Okada as he tends to a hamstring injury, while fellow starting safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) is thought to be doubtful to suit up against the Patriots Wednesday, per those close to the team. The team’s final injury report of their Week 1 preparation will be released Tuesday, upon which we’ll receive final game designations. Keep a close eye on the transaction reports from Seattle to gauge the expected level of health of both players. Considering the Seahawks carried only three safeties on their initial 53-man roster, any practice squad elevations from the secondary could signal expected absences from one, or both, players.
  • SEA Running Back #26
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    Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald said Zach Charbonnet (knee) is on target to meet his “aggressive” timetable for a return.

    Macdonald wouldn’t reveal what the timetable was for Charbonnet’s return, but said the fourth-year back has looked “dang good” as he continues his rehab. Charbonnet will open this season on the PUP list, meaning he’ll be forced to miss at least the first four games of the season before the team can consider activating him to play. Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in last year’s NFC Divisional Round game against the 49ers and is less than seven full months removed from the reconstruction surgery that took place on February 20th. The timing of his injury, coupled with the surgery, led many to believe Charbonnet would miss a significant portion of the season, but this talk of an “aggressive” timetable suggests he could be back far earlier than expected.
  • TEN Linebacker #33
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    Titans LB Cedric Gray is in concussion protocol.

    According to Titans beat Jim Wyatt, Gray was entered into concussion protocol after being involved in an accident while in an ultra terrain vehicle. The Titans released a statement saying that Gray “sustained a concussion and minor injuries” and that they expect him to be on the field once he clears concussion protocol. Gray is entering his third year in the league and is coming off a 2025 season in which he totaled 164 tackles, one sack, and two fumble recoveries while starting all 16 games he appeared in.
  • FA Wide Receiver #18
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    Giants released WR Darius Slayton.

    The longest-tenured Giants player is now in search of a new home after the team opted to release the 29-year-old receiver on Monday. Slayton was reportedly at risk of not making the initial 53-man roster out of camp, but survived the initial cuts only to be released a week later. During his seven seasons with the Giants, Slayton totaled 296 receptions for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns while serving primarily as a field stretcher. He posted four seasons of 724 or more receiving yards and had an impressive rookie campaign when he went for 48-740-8 as a rookie fifth-rounder out of Auburn. Slayton should have no trouble finding a new home in the coming days, but it may take some time before he’s back to seeing the field in a meaningful capacity.
  • ARI Running Back #4
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    Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur said he feels “good” about Jeremiyah Love’s (ankle) chances of playing in Week 1 against the Chargers.

    LaFleur said Love is “progressing” well from the high ankle sprain he suffered this preseason and said the rookie running back “was out there moving around today.” It was reported last week by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo that he had a 50/50 chance of playing in Week 1, but it sounds like he’s trending toward being ready for the season opener. The Cardinals will release their first official injury report on Wednesday, which should give us a better sense of Love’s availability before the weekend.
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    TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) did not practice on Monday.

    Henderson traveled with the team to Seattle as it prepares for Wednesday’s game against the Seahawks, but he was unable to get on the practice field. That’s now back-to-back DNPs for Henderson, who is trending toward missing the season opener. Unless he can log a limited practice on Tuesday, it wouldn’t be surprising if Henderson was ruled out well before Wednesday’s game, paving the way for Rhamondre Stevenson to have a busy Week 1 in this rematch between last year’s Super Bowl contenders.