Fantasy Football Player Notes

One of the best inside runners in the league, Jacobs had 1,329 rushing yards and a career-high 15 TD runs in his first season with the Packers. He ranked sixth in the league in rushing attempts with 301, and Jacobs once again projects as a workhorse for the Packers, who were the third run-heaviest team in the league last season.

Packers first-round draft pick Matthew Golden is a burner who runs crisp routes and has sure hands. Film guys such as Mel Kiper Jr., Daniel Jeremiah and Dane Brugler love him and ranked him as a top-15 overall prospect in this year's NFL Draft. But Golden's college production profile raises some red flags. Golden has a chance to make an immediate impact for the Packers, who selected him 23rd overall. Golden should be able to earn significant rookie-year targets among a group of receivers that includes Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks. The Packers also have Christian Watson, but he might miss most of 2025 after sustaining a major knee injury late last year.

Tucker Kraft turned in a solid season in 2024, finishing with 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished TE9 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring, TE12 in fantasy points per game. The 24-year-old Kraft seems to be on an upward trajectory, and it helps his cause that the Packers don't have a proven target hog at wide receiver. Kraft averaged 10.1 yards per target -- an impressive number, but one that suggests some regression is in order. But if the Packers are less run-heavy in 2025, Kraft might see more than the 4.1 targets per game he averaged last season.

Expectations were high for Jordan Love in 2024 after he went nuclear down the stretch in 2023 and bounced the Cowboys from the playoffs with a masterful performance. But Love sprained his MCL in the 2024 season opener against the Eagles and missed two games. Green Bay also became one of the run-heaviest teams in the league. The Packers were one of only three teams to run the ball on more than half of their offensive snaps last year. Love finished with 3,389 passing yards, 25 TD passes and 11 INTs. He averaged 16.3 fantasy points per game, ranking QB17 in that category. Love figures to play much of the 2025 season without Christian Watson, who tore his ACL late last year, but the Packers spent a first-round pick on WR Matthew Golden to give their offense a dose of speed. Love profiles as a high-end to midrange QB2 in fantasy.

Jayden Reed led the Packers in receptions (55) and receiving yards (857) last season, but it's hard to think of him as Green Bay's lead receiver when you consider that he had a 63% snap share in 2024 and typically wasn't on the field when the Packers used two-receiver sets. Reed is also dealing with a foot issue that could hinder him this season. The Packers drafted WR Matthew Golden in the first round of this year's draft, and third-round WR Savion Williams could potentially be used on the sort of gadget plays that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has been drawing up for Reed the last two years. Perhaps the best selling point for Reed is that in the 31 career games he's played with QB Jordan Love, Reed has scored 17 touchdowns.

Out of the cloudy receiving picture in Green Bay, Romeo Doubs is the wide receiver I want to draft this season. On the surface, there doesn't appear to be much cause for being over the moon for Doubs, but hear me out. Last year, he finished as the WR47 in fantasy points per game, but he was the clear leader of the Green Bay Packers receiver room, and underneath the surface, he POPS in a number of metrics that matter. Doubs was the only receiver for Green Bay that eclipsed a 75% route share (team-leading 76.7%) while leading the team in target share (18.7%) and first-read share (23.6%). He posted a solid 1.90 yards per route run while ranking 25th among 85 qualifying receivers in first downs per route run (0.104, per Fantasy Points Data). Here's where things get really interesting: Doubs, last year among 112 qualifying receivers, ranked 11th in separation and second in route win rate. Doubs could be quietly headed for a massive breakout season, and with the addition of Matthew Golden and the Packers' run-heavy approach last year, it's not priced into his ADP at all. He's one of my favorite late-round dart throws this season.

The Packers were No. 3 scoring DST and finished 7th in DVOA in 2024. But they have serious issues on the personnel side heading into 2025 at both the CB/EDGE positions. They addressed their pass rush woes by acquiring former Cowboys EDGE rusher, Micah Parsons.
Even so. they also open the year against the Lions/Commanders, which aren't exactly great defensive spots. After being wary of chasing last year's team that ranked middle of the pack in pressure rate, the Parsons trade changes things drastically. Keep in mind that last season, the Packers benefited greatly from the third-most INTs despite finishing 31st in passes defended.

Dontayvion Wicks entered 2024 as a trendy breakout pick but fell flat, finishing 87th in fantasy points per game (5.4) despite leading the Packers in targets. He repeated his 39-catch total from his rookie season, but his efficiency collapsed - dropping to 1.41 yards per route run (74th) after nearly 2.0 as a rookie. Drops (9) and underwhelming production plagued a season where he still posted a strong 29% target rate per route and ranked 4th in ESPN's Open Score. The Packers' selection of first-round WR Matthew Golden casts doubt on Wicks' short/long-term role, especially with Christian Watson's absence opening up competition. As a former Day 3 pick, Wicks is running out of chances to secure a consistent spot.

Lloyd lost nearly his entire rookie season to injuries. First, he dealt with a hamstring strain during training camp and the preseason. That was followed by an ankle sprain in Week 2 and surgery to treat appendicitis after that. It was an unfortunate and insane runout for the former third-round pick out of USC. Don't forget Lloyd is a ridiculously talented player who ranked 16th and 20th in yards after contact per attempt and fourth and 15th in elusive rating across his final two collegiate seasons (per PFF). The Packers didn't add anyone to the backfield in the draft. Lloyd should be considered the favorite for the RB2/handcuff spot on the depth chart for Green Bay behind Josh Jacobs, but the groin issue he sustained in camp could hinder that. We'll see how much of a stand-alone role he has this season, but his handcuff value alone is solid.

Brandon McManus was amazing last year, nailing 95.2% of his field goals (second-best) while finishing as the K12 in fantasy points per game. He's another solid kicking option that could post top 12 numbers again this year, especially if Jordan Love returns to form.