Tucker Kraft had quickly become one of the league’s top tight ends this season, but his breakout campaign came to a sudden and painful stop. In the midst of a phenomenal year, he suffered a significant right knee injury in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, abruptly ending his season and stalling his rise.
Tucker Kraft Injury Update
Kraft’s injury was officially confirmed as a torn ACL in his right knee, and the team subsequently placed him on injured reserve. While that move requires a minimum absence of four games, the severity of the injury means his 2025 season is over.
The loss is a major blow to the Packers’ passing attack. Kraft had already posted 489 receiving yards and six touchdowns in just eight games, establishing himself as a go-to weapon. Now, Green Bay must find ways to fill the sizable void he leaves behind.
With Kraft out, the coaching staff will lean more heavily on Luke Musgrave to take over as the primary tight end option. Depth pieces John FitzPatrick and Josh Whyle are also expected to rotate in more frequently and handle expanded responsibilities in different personnel packages.
The workload for this trio becomes pivotal as the Packers look to maintain offensive continuity, particularly on third downs and in the red zone, where Kraft had been a reliable target. According to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, Green Bay currently has the seventh-best offense in the league.
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There is no possibility of a return for Kraft at all this season, as he begins the long road to recovery from his ACL tear.
In the short term, the Packers’ game plan will feature Musgrave as the primary tight end, with FitzPatrick and Whyle filling in to support different formations. The coaching staff will have to adjust their play-calling based on game flow and matchups, reallocating some of Kraft’s key targets to wide receivers and running backs.
For the remainder of the season, the Packers will move forward with their current tight end group, while Kraft’s journey shifts to long-term rehabilitation milestones. Currently, the Packers have a 70.5% chance of making the playoffs, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Green Bay Packers’ Insights for Week 13
Team: The Packers are playing on Thanksgiving for the third straight year. Green Bay is 16-20-2 after beating the Dolphins and Lions the last two seasons.
QB: Jordan Love has two touchdown passes in the last four games after throwing 13 in the first seven games.
Offense: Romeo Doubs had 34 catches for 441 yards and four touchdowns on 6.5 targets per game in the first eight games. In the last three games, Dobbs has caught seven passes for 81 yards and no touchdowns on 5.0 targets per game.
Defense: The Packers recorded the team’s best PFSN Defense Impact (DEFi) score since 2006. Since 2000, the 93.2 (A) against the Vikings in Week 12 is only behind a 93.8 (A) in Week 5 against the Lions in 2009 and 93.5 (A) against the Bears in the final game of the 2006 season.
Fantasy: Jordan Love has now thrown zero touchdowns in three of his last four games. Things should turn around against a Lions pass-funnel defense, which allows the seventh most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.