Denzel Boston or Tucker Kraft: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Kraft's scoring setup and TE1 role give him the edge over Boston

Start Kraft: the one-point projection gap is modest; what decides it is Kraft's primary seam role at tight end against Boston's rookie third-receiver role. Green Bay's 27-point implied total creates more touchdown routes than Cleveland's 19-point outlook, while Boston's heavy early involvement is promising but rests on only two games. Kraft's risk is that near-every-down usage still fails to produce catches or scoring. Boston's Week 2 breakout showed the contested-catch and red-zone upside that can beat this call (clevelandbrowns.com 2026-09-22).

What flips it: Boston emerging as Cleveland's first red-zone read.

Sources: clevelandbrowns.com · Sep 22, 2026 · SI/Packers On SI · Sep 21, 2026

AI editor

Denzel Boston

Denzel Boston

WR59CLEvs CAR

Projected Points

Start
Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft

TE9GBvs ATL

Projected Points

Start· medium

Denzel Boston’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+310

Tucker Kraft’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
-158 / +124
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 46.5
-114 / -114
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+200
Anytime Touchdown Props →
CAR@
CLESun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
ATL@
GBThu, Sep 24, 8:15 PM ETView the game →

Why Denzel Boston

Start

Rookie WR starting in the third receiver spot. Big-bodied contested-catch X with red-zone appeal; no NFL sample.

Start — WR59 consensus, projects WR38 this week: 19.0 implied team total caps the ceiling, 21% target share.

  • His big-bodied contested-catch style gives him a path to red-zone work even as a third receiver.
  • A two-game sample makes his encouraging early role less bankable than Kraft's established TE1 workload.

Latest on Boston

Role

Denzel Boston recorded five receptions for 95 receiving yards and one touchdown in Week 2.

Denzel Boston nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 2clevelandbrowns.com · Sep 22, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Tucker Kraft

Start· medium

TE1 and primary seam threat. Physical yards-after-catch producer and capable in-line blocker; returning from injury.

TE9 with an 82% snap share and a 27.0-point implied team total against a defense ranked 24 of 32 vs tight ends — locked-in role in a favored offense.

  • His yards-after-catch ability gives him a route to chunk gains, not just routine tight-end receptions.
  • Near-every-snap usage didn't prevent a two-catch, 15-yard game with a fumble last week (SI/Packers On SI 2026-09-21).

The call

  • Kraft is the every-down tight end: 82% snap share on the season and 58 of 59 offensive snaps in Week 2, so the volume floor is real even on quiet stat lines.
  • Matchup and game environment both help — Atlanta grades 24 of 32 vs the position and Green Bay carries a 27.0 implied total as a 7.5-point favorite.
  • Consensus has him TE9 at 10.3 projected points; at that price in a 12-team PPR league you start him over a replacement tight end.
  • Risk is efficiency, not opportunity: 13% target share and a two-catch, 15-yard Week 2 with a fumble means the ceiling depends on a red-zone look landing.

Latest on Kraft

Role

Kraft played 58 of 59 offensive snaps in Week 2 (all but one), in line with his prior workload, catching two passes for 15 yards while also fumbling and drawing a holding penalty.

SI/Packers On SI · Sep 21, 2026
Contract extension is dream come true for Tucker Kraft

Packers tight end eager to rise to the occasion, win games

packers.com · Sep 18, 2026
Packers sign TE Tucker Kraft to contract extension

General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Saturday

packers.com · Sep 12, 2026
Sources: Packers, TE Tucker Kraft agree to 4-year extension

The Packers and tight end Tucker Kraft have reached agreement on a four-year extension worth up to $92 million, sources told ESPN.

ESPN · Sep 12, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricDenzel BostonTucker Kraft
Projected points
Consensus rankWR59TE9
Opponent vs positionCAR · 15 of 322-game sampleATL · 24 of 322-game sample
Receptions26 of 3222 of 32
Receiving Yards17 of 3222 of 32
Receiving TDs7 of 3230 of 32
Targets16 of 3217 of 32
Anytime TD7 of 3230 of 32
Target share21%13%
Reception share18%14%
Implied total · spread19.0+1.527.0-7.5
Depth chartWR1TE1
Snap share93%82%
Start/Sit record—0–2

Recent form

Denzel Boston — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs TB
Week 1vs JAX

Tucker Kraft — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs NYJ
Week 1vs MIN

Signal breakdown

  • 11.3 vs 10.3 projected PPR pointsDenzel Boston +
  • Rank 59 vs 9Tucker Kraft +
  • Opponent DvP rank 15 vs 24 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 19.0 vs 27.0 team pointsTucker Kraft +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 93% vs 82% snap shareDenzel Boston +

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