Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft exited Week 9 action Sunday and is feared to have torn his ACL, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Fantasy football players who roster the highest-scoring tight end in half-PPR leagues (heading into Sunday's games) may need to plan to find at least a temporary replacement.
Keep scrolling to find our best recommendations from the waiver wire pool of tight ends. We'll focus our search on tight ends who carry a 50% or lower rostership in Yahoo Fantasy games.
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Top Tucker Kraft waiver TE injury alternatives
Read our full Week 10 waiver wire for more pickup tips before your league's run.
Loveland, Bears TE (23% Yahoo rostered)
Loveland broke out in a big way during Week 9, leading all TEs (as of 5 p.m. ET) with 26.8 half-PPR points on 6-118-2 (7 targets).
Though Cole Kmet will siphon some looks when healthy, Loveland looks in sync with Caleb Williams, and the Bears' up-and-down defense will keep Chicago's offense in high gear most weeks.
Loveland should be good for a handful of targets per game moving forward as their best red-zone name moving forward.
Browns' Fannin Jr. (42%)
The exciting Cleveland rookie probably was dropped in many leagues while on his bye. The fact that he's already had his off-week only scratches the surface of his value moving forward.
The versatile Bowling Green alum has surged back into weekly starter conversations with Dillon Gabriel under center. In those four games with the Oregon rookie taking snaps, Fannin has averaged 5.3 catches, 48.1 yards, and 0.5 touchdowns.
There's plenty of room for him and David Njoku (only 52% in his own right) to produce simultaneously, considering the Browns rank among the league leaders in two-tight-end ("12") personnel usage.
Dalton Schultz, Texans (27%)
Schultz remains an unheralded yet steady presence in a shaky Texans passing game, only netting fewer than five targets twice in eight games this year.
Davis Mills may have to replace CJ Stroud (concussion) and probably would rely on the tight end often, given his game-manager style.
In PPR games, this checkdown-friendly connection could pile up easy points even the yardage total doesn't swell.
Musgrave, Packers TE (0%)
Given how friendly this system is for tight ends who can excel after the catch, perhaps Kraft's direct replacement will thrive.
A huge piece of caution: Wideout Jayden Reed (collarbone) expected to return in Week 10, which further complicates an already crowded receiving picture.
However, Musgrave was also a high draft pick in the same year as Kraft and could pick apart the right weak defense with his physical tools.
Fant joins Bengals (4%)
Mike Gesicki's time on injured reserve has open up more snaps and offensive attention for the veteran.
Fant is averaging 3.5 targets and 3.25 catches across his past four games while scoring twice (including 2-28-1 in Week 9). Joe Flacco's entrance into the starting QB gig has rejuvenated the Bengals' receiving corps.
If the injury suffered by Tee Higgins near the end of Week 9 amount to anything that would cost the wideout time on the field, Fant could step into a bigger target share.
AJ Barner to Seahawks (11%)
Barner has relied on finding the end zone to pad his value. He's only had one game of more than three targets.
However, Cooper Kupp (heel/hamstring) looks set to miss Week 9 Sunday Night Football and is aging, so who knows how much more time he could miss. Plus, the No. 3 target hierarchy behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kupp is fluid.
Barner could provide that safety-valve work with his solid after-the-catch ability and, at 6-foot-6, 251 pounds, has the frame to act as a consistently intimidating presence around the goal line.
Johnson, Saints WR (33%)
The quarterback change in New Orleans should again facilitate at least a short-term bump in targets for Johnson, who enjoyed a blistering start to 2025 while averaging 6.3 catches, 58.7 yards and 0.3 touchdowns across his first three games.
Heading into Week 9, Johnson ranked seventh among tight ends in team percentage of air yards (16.6%), and ranks top-10 among tight ends in yardage after the catch (168).
Tyler Shough's tenure under center and possible Saints trade deadline removals of wide receivers Chris Olave and/or Rashid Shaheed could create more targets for Johnson.
Taylor, Jets (20%)
The Jets need someone to catch passes behind Garrett Wilson and -- if he's still on the team post-NFL trade deadline -- Breece Hall.
Taylor has five games with at least five targets and scored his first touchdown in Week 8.
The rookie from LSU offers an expansive route tree for a tight end and could bring stability to a team that's just playing out the string. New York will want to see what their potential long-term core piece can do when getting sufficient attention.
Theo Johnson: 33% Giants
Johnson remains in the weekly mix of Jaxson Dart's most sought-after targets since Malik Nabers (knee) went down for the season.
The sophomore has just two games of fewer than four targets and has found the end zone five times, a boon to the 6-foot-6, 264-pounder's usage.
Especially with an up-and-down run game between Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary without Cam Skattebo (leg), Johnson could be used frequently as an extension of the run game and a significant threat around the goal line.