I respectfully disagree. In many different bands and even with professional musicians, fret wraps are really just a tool, not a crutch. I like to think of it like a pick or a tremolo bar. You don’t need a pick to actually play the guitar, but it makes everything much easier in terms of playing. Plus, I think you’re looking at this too specifically. Some players like very specific tones, such as Aaron Marshall from Intervals. He uses fret wraps all the time and I believe this is because he uses high gain to outline specific harmonics that he likes using when he solos.
I believe what you meant through fret wraps being a crutch is that beginners and intermediate players should not become too dependent on tools such as these. I agree with that all day long, it is always best to be as versatile as possible.