Should I Draft Luke Musgrave? Fantasy Football Outlook

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been the gold standard for the position since 2016. When another player draws a comparison to an eight-time Pro Bowler, it makes headlines.

When asked to compare rookie Luke Musgrave to another tight end, Packers safety Dallin Leavitt told ESPN that the answer is Kelce. “I played a long time with Darren [with the Raiders]. In regards to speed and feeling that on the over route, yeah, I think [Musgrave’s] got that. But honestly, I would say he’s closer to Kelce than he is Darren, body type and all that.”

It's high praise, and Green Bay used significant draft capital to select the rookie out of Oregon State. Does all that make Musgrave worth drafting in fantasy football in 2023, even with the less-than-impressive track record for rookie tight ends?

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Pass-Catching Options In Green Bay

The new era in Green Bay is here. Aaron Rodgers has departed for the Big Apple, and he took veteran receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb with him. What remains is a lot of youth. Second-year wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs will lead the charge, with Musgrave and fellow rookie Jayden Reed working the interior.

After taking over a majority of the snaps in Week 10, Watson tallied 31 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Doubs was more consistent (42/425/3 in 13 games) but faded toward the end of the season when Watson emerged.

Outgoing tight end Robert Tonyan was a reliable target for Rodgers in 2022. He finished with a 71% catch rate and 43 catches for 470 yards, third most on the team, and two touchdowns. Musgrave hopes to bring more athleticism to that tight end pass-catching role.

Rookie Tight Ends In The NFL

Only five rookie tight ends in NFL history have caught at least 60 passes. In 2022, hitting that threshold would have ranked tied for 7th among the position. Could this be the year another rookie makes the cut? This year's class, with Musgrave, Dalton Kincaid, Sam LaPorta, and Michael Mayer, is rated as one of the best in recent years.

The counter-argument is that Musgrave was on the field for all of Jordan Love's snaps in the preseason opener, and the new signal-caller has made it clear that he wants plays designed for the rookie.

Should I Draft Luke Musgrave In Fantasy Football?

Both Sam LaPorta and Luke Musgrave wasted no time taking over the first-team tight end role on their respective teams. Dalton Kincaid plays on the best offense of the three and was the first TE selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. At least one of these three will be fantasy-relevant in 2023.

If you decide to wait on the position in your fantasy draft (not selecting Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson, Darren Waller, Dallas Goedert, George Kittle, or Kyle Pitts), pairing one of the rookies with a veteran like Dalton Schultz or David Njoku is a smart strategy. Musgrave is worth a late-round dart throw in all leagues and will be a valuable asset in dynasty formats.

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