Alec Pierce or Tucker Kraft: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Kraft — the consensus rank and availability edges are too wide to ignore.
Tucker Kraft is the higher consensus play (TE9 to WR39) and is the healthier side of this call (Pierce carries a Questionable tag). Pierce's edge is the projection, 11.1 to 10.6. The gap is wide.
Alec Pierce
7.39.211.1 Projected Points
Tucker Kraft
6.38.410.6 Projected Points
Alec Pierce’s market
Tucker Kraft’s market
Why Alec Pierce
Toss-UpOutside WR and primary deep threat. Big-bodied vertical winner with elite yards-per-catch profile.
Toss-up — WR39 consensus, projects WR37 this week: KC is the 4th-toughest matchup vs WRs, 21% target share.
- Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
- KC ranks 4 of 32 against WRs (one of the tougher matchups, 1-game sample).
- Vegas implies 20.5 team points as 6.5-point underdogs.
- Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 59% snap share.
Latest on Pierce
With his hand X-rays negative, Pierce is expected to be ready to play in the Colts' Week 2 game at Kansas City, though he may not be a full practice participant leading up to the game.
CBS Sports · Sep 14, 2026The Colts on Wednesday conducted their first true game week practice ahead of Sunday's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce "should be good to go" for the team's season opener against the Ravens after having offseason ankle surgery, coach Shane Steichen said.
The wide receiver was activated from PUP August 27.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Tucker Kraft
Start· mediumTE1 and primary seam threat. Physical yards-after-catch producer and capable in-line blocker; returning from injury.
TE9 at 10.6 projected with a 66% snap share and 15% target share — the scary matchup grade is a 1-game sample with 0.00 confidence.
- NYJ ranks 8 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 1-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.0 team points as 5.5-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 66% snap share.
The call
- A 10.6-point projection and TE9 consensus rank clear the bar at a position where replacement-level starters are living in the 6-7 point range.
- Role is locked: he's the No. 1 TE with a 66% snap share and 15% target share in the early sample, so the volume is there regardless of matchup.
- The DvP composite ranks NYJ 8 of 32 (tougher end), but it's built on a 1-game sample with 0.00 confidence — not enough to bench a top-10 tight end.
- Green Bay's 24.0 implied total as a 5.5-point favorite points to a controlled, red-zone-heavy script, which is where Kraft's touchdown equity lives.
Latest on Kraft
General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Saturday
The Packers and tight end Tucker Kraft have reached agreement on a four-year extension worth up to $92 million, sources told ESPN.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Alec Pierce | Tucker Kraft |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 7.39.211.1 | 6.38.410.6 |
| Consensus rank | WR39 | TE9 |
| Opponent vs position | KC · 4 of 321-game sample | NYJ · 8 of 321-game sample |
| Receptions | 3 of 32 | 14 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 3 of 32 | 14 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | 11 of 32 | 11 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Target share | 21% | 15% |
| Reception share | 21% | 14% |
| Implied total · spread | 20.5+6.5 | 24.0-5.5 |
| Depth chart | WR1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 59% | 66% |
| Injury designation | Questionable | — |
| Start/Sit record | 0–0+1 toss-up | 0–1 |
Recent form
Alec Pierce — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs BAL | 6.18.110.1 |
Tucker Kraft — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs MIN | 6.58.09.5 |
Signal breakdown
- 11.1 vs 10.6 projected PPR pointsAlec Pierce +
- Rank 39 vs 9Tucker Kraft +
- Opponent DvP rank 4 vs 8 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 20.5 vs 24.0 team pointsTucker Kraft +
- Questionable vs no designationTucker Kraft +
- 59% vs 66% snap shareTucker Kraft +
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