Fantasy Football Player Notes

Until we see another Raiders running back eat into Josh Jacobs's workload, he needs to be treated like a full-blown bell cow. That was the case last season when he led the NFL in touches. That's concerning for his long-term availability, but he should be a locked-and-loaded fantasy RB1 for Week 1. In two games versus Denver last year, Jacobs averaged nearly 25 fantasy points per game. Start him.

Dillon ran wild versus the Bears defense the last time he faced them, going for 93 yards and 1 TD on 18 carries. A heavy dosage of Dillon seems to be the Packers' fancy because earlier in the season he saw the exact same workload of 18 carries (albeit for 61 yards). The 2022 game logs suggest we should expect a healthy dosage of Dillon versus a beatable Bears defensive line, as the Packers offense looks for balance in the post-Aaron Rodgers era. If you are in a pinch at RB2 or FLEX, Dillon is a sneaky start I like a lot for Week 1. His projected workload and red-zone usage in the second half of last season present fantasy managers several different paths to early-season fantasy production.

Doubs is dealing with a hamstring injury, which puts his status for Week 1 in doubt. Lower body injuries are also tricky to address, especially with their high rate of recurring during play. Not worth the risk even if he's deemed healthy enough to play in Week 1. The expectation is that he is going to play, but I'd much rather take a shot on one or two GB rookies instead. 

I'd much rather take advantage of Watson's injury by stashing or even starting Jayden Reed. The second-round rookie WR was the slot starter in 11 personnel with the Packers during the preseason Reed checks off all the boxes of a Day 3 sleeper WR, but the Green Bay Packers couldn't wait until Day 3 draft him in the 2023 NFL Draft. They selected Reed 50th overall. Expect the Michigan State product to step in and be the immediate No. 2 WR. He broke out at an early age, at 18 years old while playing alongside NFL talent at Western Michigan. In 2021, Reed blew up as a junior, with 1,026 yards and ten receiving touchdowns en route to a career-high 34% dominator rating. His 23-year-old age isn't ideal, but his experience might just help him hit the ground running sooner rather than later, especially considering that Reed flashed ability as a downfield threat with a top-5 deep target rate (29%) in his draft class in 2022. Make sure he's not hanging out on any waiver wires. Could be in line for a big Week 1.

Packers TE Luke Musgrave is the clear-cut TE1 in Green Bay with an elite role. He ran a route on 100% of Jordan Love dropbacks in Week 2 of the preseason, indicating his status as a full-time player. Running enough routes is critical in finding breakout TEs, and Musgrave's role and impressive college production profile suggest he is on the cusp of immediate impact. Stash him if he's on waivers and start him if you need a Week 1 flier. He's also the perfect punt tight end on DraftKings, egregiously priced at $2,900. Better yet, no Watson should create more opportunities for Musgrave to produce.