Across 15 games in 2025, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 66.3% of his pass attempts for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 27-year-old has established himself as an efficient and effective NFL quarterback, leading Green Bay to the playoffs in all three of his seasons as a starter. However, Love's lack of rushing upside combined with the Packers' run-heavy offensive approach has limited his fantasy viability. Love finished as the QB18 in per-game fantasy scoring in 2024 and the QB21 by the same metric in 2025. Still, Love may finally be fully healthy in 2026 after battling knee, thumb, and concussion issues over the past two seasons. He should also get more out of key pass-catchers in tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) and Jayden Reed, who combined to miss 19 games last season. Love may not offer high-end QB1 upside, but he may be worth buying low on in dynasty formats ahead of what could be a resurgent 2026
Green Bay Packers second-year wide receiver Matthew Golden has clear breakout potential in Year 2 in 2026 and should get plenty more opportunities in the passing game with a year in Green Bay's offense under his belt and with the offseason departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Golden, a first-rounder last year, didn't perform up to expectations in his first year in the NFL in a crowded WR room in Green Bay. He was tied for 84th with 29 catches and 78th with 361 receiving yards, according to TruMedia. The 22-year-old product of the University of Texas didn't score for the first time until the playoffs. Golden will be a clear top-three wideout for quarterback Jordan Love alongside injury-prone receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. He'll be an excellent buy-low target in dynasty formats and a nice sleeper to target in redraft drafts with plenty of speed (4.29-second 40-yard dash), even though he doesn't impress anyone with his size (5-foot-11, 191 pounds)
As we progress through the dead of the NFL offseason, we have plenty to scan over as we prepare for fantasy football draft season. There were plenty of moves that we've been discussing at length before the 2026 regular season begins. Some of those narratives we trust and are going to take into our drafts. Others, we're not so sure about. Yahoo analyst Scott Pianowski, Joel Smyth, Matt Harmon and Justin Boone share the one offseason narrative that they aren't buying going into this season. Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season I understand why the public is skeptical of the Miami offense. The team is projected for a modest 4.5 wins, and the Miami WR room is the skimpiest in the league. But I still think Willis could run his way into fantasy relevance, and I discount the idea that Miami's mediocre offense is an automatic death knell to his fantasy potential. Although Willis has just six NFL starts to his name, he averaged a handy 44.8 rushing yards per game in those starts, with six overall rushing touchdowns. The Titans didn't give him much responsibility in his three starts there, but he did have QB3 and QB6 finishes among his Green Bay spot starts the last two years. I get it, Matt LaFleur and Christian Watson and Jayden Reed aren't walking through that door. But Willis is a perfect value target for anyone who plays in a league where multiple starting QBs are required, a nod to the timeless Konami Code . There will be moments this fall where the Dolphins are blown out and Willis struggles – but still puts up 18 or 20 fantasy points. It's just algebra , friends. — Scott Pianowski After OTAs and Tight End University, the hype for modern medicine and the recovery of star tight ends George Kittle and Tucker Kraft are very positive. While this can be true, a slow fantasy start can also be at play. Reminder, fantasy football managers want their starting TE to be receiving full volume Week 1 more than NFL teams with a long term focus. The Packers historically have taken a cautious approach with players coming back from injury, and the 49ers star not only had a major injury, but it happened in January, rather than early in the season. Kittle will be 33 in October, making me question how much the 49ers will push him to play his normal snap count nine months off an Achilles tear. Him and Kraft are also both yards-after-the-catch specialists, relying on their playmaking with the ball in their hands rather than seeing 150 targets. Lastly, the TE2 option for each team has proven themselves as solid successors when their number has been called, not the same mind-blowing numbers, but can fill in well during the meantime. If you draft them early, I'd prepare to have some fantasy points made up for until the middle of the season. — Joel Smyth Admittedly, when Mahomes tore his ACL late last season, I did assume that the star quarterback wouldn't be ready for Week 1. The Chiefs going out and adding Justin Fields to be the backup seemed to also point in that direction. For all of Fields' flaws, he can get you through a stretch of a few games with his mobility. That said, based on everything I've seen, and the fact that he was already, at some level, participating in OTAs, my stance has changed. At this point, I'd be pretty shocked if he's not out there for Week 1. He's one of the best players in the sport and already beat injury timelines in multiple instances through his career. If you're fading Chiefs' pass-catchers this year, you're doing it because you don't believe in their abilities or reliability — a totally justifiable stance for what it's worth — not because they'll play games without Mahomes this year. Now, there should be outstanding questions about whether Mahomes will be himself at the start of the year, which is a critical variable considering his own fantasy value was boosted by rushing output in 2025. I expect Mahomes to start Week 1 but I still don't intend to draft many Chiefs' passing-
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While the run game has seen a resurgence in both volume and efficiency in recent seasons, the NFL remains, at its heart, a passing league in the modern era. Because it is a passing league, the value of both quarterbacks and pass catchers keeps increasing. We've seen it in recent years, with an explosion in wide receiver salaries, with superstars topping $40 million in average annual value. A superstar wideout can tilt the field in the offense's favor through both his production and the attention he draws, and that has never been more valuable. But what's more valuable than one star wideout? Well, two star wideouts, obviously. With that in mind, we here at CBS Sports decided to take a look at the top wide receiver duos in the NFL. There are plenty of dual-star duos, as well as some buoyed by one mega-star who teams with another quality player to form an elite pairing. Right now, we think there is a clear-cut top two, another tier of three and then another tier of three after that. That gives us a clear-cut top eight, with the rest of the league filling in behind. In the space below, we're going to rank those top eight duos. But before we do, we also wanted to include some honorable mentions. Honorable(-ish) Mentions: Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall ( 49ers ), Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III ( Bears ), DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir ( Bills ), Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin ( Buccaneers ), Alec Pierce and Josh Downs ( Colts ), DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon ( Eagles ), Brian Thomas Jr . and Jakobi Meyers ( Jaguars ), Christian Watson and Jayden Reed ( Packers ), Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson ( Saints ), DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. ( Steelers ) This Seahawks pairing would be higher on the list if we had confidence in which of Shaheed or Cooper Kupp would actually be the No. 2 wide receiver, and that they would be able to consolidate that role while the other would slide further into the background. As it stands, it's more of a target vacuum in JSN, with a couple of guys competing for second-string targets among a host of tight ends and running backs. JSN is coming off one of the better receiver seasons in recent memory, though, so he alone is enough to power the Seahawks into the top 10 of these rankings. And I could easily see them ranking much higher next year, if Shaheed consolidates the role behind him. We've got another new duo on tap here, with both players new to New England this offseason. AJB is one of the small handful of best receivers in football when he is right, but he's also coming off a relatively down season (he averaged his fewest yards per game since 2021) and turned 29 years old June 30, so we don't know if he'll be able to be at his best. Doubs, meanwhile, has always been a bit of a better player than his numbers suggest, because he's always been in such a crowded receiver room. These two guys should give Drake Maye a duo that can really win in the intermediate areas of the field, and Brown, if he rebounds, can win both short and long and create a ton of yardage after the catch. This is yet another new duo, but it could be very exciting. Waddle remains a big-play threat both on deep passes and in terms of creating yardage with the ball in his hands due to his speed. Sutton works best as an isolated X receiver on the outside. The duo gives Bo Nix a pair of wideouts who challenge defenses in markedly different ways, but who can work a lot of the same areas of the field nonetheless. Sean Payton and Davis Webb should have a lot of fun scheming them into position to succeed. Jefferson is coming off what qualifies as a down season for him, with "only" 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two scores. Addison missed time again and caught 42 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns. They were both hamstrung by the quarterback play of J.J. McCarthy , Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer , though, and we know they have considerably more upside than what they showed last season. Jefferson remains one of the small handful of [... truncated ...]
Matt LaFleur 's Packers seem to strive for good, but never great. They are not nearly aggressive enough and they too often take their foot all the way off the gas after seizing a lead. Even a soulless, agnostic NFL observer like me finds great pain in LaFleur's approach. I feel for the cheeseheads among us. Points per game: 23 (16th) Total yards per game: 333 (15th) Plays per game: 59.4 (25th) Dropbacks per game: 35 (29th) Dropback EPA per play: 0.27 (2nd) Designed rush attempts per game: 27.3 (8th) Rush EPA per play: -0.07 (21st) So, the question headed into 2026, LaFleur's eighth season at the helm, will be whether the Packers are ready to operate like the ultra-aggressive, win-now, win-always Lions and Bears, coached by men for whom no lead is enough. That LaFleur plays these two throat-stepping teams twice a season every season has been a problem. QB: Jordan Love , Tyrod Taylor WR: Christian Watson , Savion Williams WR: Jayden Reed , Bo Melton WR: Matthew Golden , Skyy Moore TE: Tucker Kraft , Luke Musgrave LaFleur seems to have taken his players’ grades to heart. Last year LaFleur, after losing to the despised Bears in the Wild Card round, was given one of the NFL’s lowest player grades. Romeo Doubs appeared all too happy to hit the road for New England during free agency, and Dontayvion Wicks wasn’t exactly heartbroken to escape Green Bay for the Eagles. LaFleur in late March acknowledged the organization-wide discontent and spoke to reporters about the issues plaguing his team. “If I’m being honest about it, I think there were some guys that were upset about roles last year, and I think that took a toll on our football team,” LaFleur said. “You need guys that bring great energy every day. I think from a coaching standpoint, role clarity is key, so we’ve got to obviously do a better job communicating with our players, ‘Hey, here’s your role and if you’re unhappy about your role, it’s on you to do something about that, to carve out a role on this football team.’ But yeah, the buy-in is absolutely critical. Getting guys in there that are juiced and ready to go to work each and every day is gonna be critical for us.” Later that same day, the immaculately-groomed Green Bay head coach dropped this little nugget, which — in one Rotoworld blogger’s opinion — has not received enough attention in real or fantasy football circles in the subsequent months. LaFleur, orchestrator of one of the league’s most reliably efficient offenses, said the Packers would “strip everything down and start like it’s Year 1 all over again” in 2026. “I just think reinstalling and trying to go through — it might take a little bit more time — but really get into the details because that’s usually the separator.” We could — if LaFleur was serious about starting again on offense — see a far more pass-heavy Packers offense this season. This would hinge on the team finally allowing Jordan Love to cook a year after he ranked second in EPA per drop back, trailing only Drake Maye . Not everyone is sold on the idea of a major overhaul of the Green Bay offense. That includes Jason Hirschhorn , writer and analyst for The Leap , an excellent Packers-focused newsletter. 'More Granular Focus' "When LaFleur mentions going back to the start, I suspect he means in terms of instruction and installation of the offense rather than a complete rethink of what the system looks like and how it works," Hirschhorn told me, adding that the team's passing offense has "lacked detail" in recent seasons. "Like most of the Kyle Shanahan -influenced schemes in the NFL, mastering the little nuances unlocks everything (marrying run and pass concepts so they present identically to the defense before the snap, syncing up timing between route depth and a QB's dropback, and so forth). These are the details that, at least in my reading of LaFleur's words, the Packers believe will need a more granular focus akin to a Year 1 install." A massively pass-heavy Packers offense, [... truncated ...]
Carter Bahns of CBS Sports recently broke down several of the NFL’s top “dynamic duos,” but sadly, no Packers made the cut. That’s not to say there aren’t dynamic pairs of Packers. Plenty of high-performing Packers players come in pairs, and their partnerships could power positive…outcomes (okay, I ran out of words that start with p) on both sides of the ball this year. Here are four dynamic duos worth watching on this year’s Packers’ team. 1 – Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams The Packers have one of the best safety rooms around, and this pairing is a big reason why. McKinney is one of the league’s best deep safeties, ballhawking the deep middle with aplomb, while Williams ranges underneath as a versatile, moveable piece, plugging whatever gaps the Packers need filled in their secondary. It remains to be seen exactly what their roles look like in Jonathan Gannon’s safety-heavy defense, but Gannon would be foolish to change things too much. He’s got a good thing going with these two; McKinney is an All-Pro, Williams is headed that direction, and Gannon seems smart enough to not fiddle around with a good thing too much. Plus, we haven’t even mentioned super slot Javon Bullard (which, I suppose, would break the entire point of doing dynamic duos, but we’re about to do that in the next one anyway). 2 – Pick two: Christian Watson , Jayden Reed , or Matthew Golden If you want to restrict this to just the two receivers who signed extensions this offseason, that’s fine with me, but the point is, the Packers have three interesting playmakers at wide receiver. Watson, Reed, and Golden all have game-breaking speed and are a threat to go the distance on any given play, and we’ve seen them all produce explosive plays in their own unique ways. Pair any two of these players together and you’ve got an interesting combination. Use all three and the Packers’ passing game should be in great shape. 3 – Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin I’ll fully admit, this is aspirational, but hear me out. Dating back to De’Vondre Campbell’s unexpected All-Pro season, the Packers have spent quite a bit of time and treasure trying to create a dynamic duo at linebacker. First they paired Campbell with early career Quay Walker , which didn’t pan out as first Campbell’s body and then his attitude failed him. Then, they lined Edgerrin Cooper up next to Walker, which was better than the Walker/Campbell pairing, but still not quite what you would expect given the physical talents of the involved parties. Now, the Packers have moved on from Walker and traded for old Gannon standby Zaire Franklin, hoping he can recapture the magic of his best years, which coincided with Gannon’s presence in Indianapolis . Can it work? There’s no reason it can’t, other than Franklin’s possible age-related decline, the challenges of recapturing past success, and a whole host of other factors. But aside from that, there’s real possibility here. Franklin is wearing the green dot for the Packers, turning Cooper loose to be his fast and free-flowing, playmaking self. If it works, the Packers could finally have found the linebacker pair they’ve been trying to create for more than half a decade now. 4 – Jordan Morgan and Zach Tom Okay, this duo may not be dynamic in the same way that the track star wide receivers or twitched-up linebackers are, but it’s crucially important. The Packers have a ton of depth at guard. At tackle? Not so much. And the guys they’re counting on have plenty of question marks. Zach Tom is one of the league’s best when healthy. But right now, he’s not. He’s coming off major knee surgery, and while it looks like he’s on track to be ready for the start of the season, that’s hardly a guarantee. Having lived through the David Bakhtiari experience, Packers fans should know that better than most. Jordan Morgan, meanwhile, has spent the last two years unable to unseat seventh round pick Rasheed Walker at left tackle. Maybe he never had a true opportunity to compet
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love said he "still has some great weapons" in the passing game going into the 2026 season despite losing Romeo Doubs in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks to an offseason trade to the Philadelphia Eagles, mentioning Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and second-year wideout Matthew Golden as his top options. The Packers also have tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) coming back from a torn ACL that cut his season short in 2025, so Love certainly still has plenty of pass-catching weapons to take the next step in 2026 in his sixth year in the NFL. The 27-year-old former 26th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft out of Utah State threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only six interceptions in 15 regular-season starts last year, which placed him as the QB16 in fantasy scoring. Love has proven to be a strong downfield passer -- that should continue if Watson stays healthy all year -- but Green Bay's offense as a whole will need to be more consistent if Love is going to jump up to the QB1 ranks in fantasy. Right now, RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 18 fantasy QB for the 2026 campaign
The Packers have already extended WRs Jayden Reed and Christian Watson. The article discusses which other players on expiring contracts, particularly starters like TE Tucker Kraft and DE Devonte Wyatt, might receive extensions before the 2027 offseason, while noting that CB Keisean Nixon may be unlikely to be extended due to age and position
Today, Wolf Trelles-Heard outlines 10 players to buy in this 2026 offseason. Whether inexpensive or costing a pretty penny, there are players for every budget that are just begging to be on your dynasty squad! Jayden Reed showed out with 10 touchdowns as a rookie in ’23, and followed that up with a highly efficient second season. In 2024, he ranked first among all receivers in fantasy points per target (2.63), first in QB Rating per target (137.5), second in target separation (2.40), and 14th in yards per route run (2.35). Take last season for Reed and throw it in the trash. “Be a goldfish,” as Ted Lasso so eloquently put it. Reed played just seven games after he broke his collarbone in Week 2, and when he returned, it was a bad case of “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Jayden Reed ‘s Advanced Metrics Now, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are no longer in Green Bay. The receiver room has basically been reduced to Reed, Christian Watson , and Matthew Golden . As long as Reed can get on the field in two-WR sets, his production and dynasty value will skyrocket if he looks like the player we saw in his first two seasons. Currently sitting at WR48 in Player Profiler’s updated dynasty rankings , Reed is a no-brainer buy at cost, and I currently have him roughly 10 spots higher in my rankings. Indianapolis gave Daniel Jones a two-year, $88-million deal this offseason, making him the unquestioned QB1. With the lackluster free agent quarterbacks available and no first-round picks until 2028, the team was basically forced into re-signing him. Whether they like it or not, the Colts are married to Jones during this win-now window. That should be music to the ears of dynasty managers, and yet “Danny Dimes” sits at QB25 on KeepTradeCut. Daniel Jones ‘ 2025 Efficiency Metrics So why the trepidation in fully buying into Jones? Well, he is coming off a broken leg and torn Achilles. Before the injuries, though, he was lights out. Jones was the QB8, putting up 19.4 fantasy points per game. With the same cast of weapons, sans Michael Pittman , Jones seems like a bargain at cost. We’ve already seen his ceiling in this offense. QB1 production at QB3 prices? Count me in. This might be your last chance to get Kenneth Gainwell at a discount before other managers catch on. The vibes around Bucky Irving all offseason have been off-putting, to say the least. He’s still not practicing while he rehabs from shoulder surgery (his seven games missed were more the fault of his shoulder than his foot), and head coach Todd Bowles didn’t give a reassuring answer when recently asked when he can expect Irving to be back on the field. This catch by Kenneth Gainwell will always be one of the greatest catches #steelers pic.twitter.com/reCJ1Yn3fJ — Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) March 1, 2026 This all points to Gainwell being a bigger weapon in this Buccaneers offense than people realize. He finished fifth among all running backs in receptions (73) and finished with over 1,000 total yards and eight touchdowns last season. He was money down the stretch, too. From Week 11 on, he was the RB6 overall and averaged 17.8 fantasy points per game. Gainwell is a player who will give managers usable RB2 weeks, but he’s ranked outside of the top 36 rushers at the moment. I have him sitting closer to RB30, and think he’s an inexpensive add for contenders looking to beef up a flex spot. Everyone seems to be in on the Justin Herbert and Chargers offense for 2026, and I’m no different. The advent of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel — along with star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater returning to full health — has the fantasy community in a tizzy over just how good this offense can be. In fact, I’m in a dynasty startup right now with The Podfather himself, and he selected Herbert over Lamar Jackson in the second round. If everything clicks, peak fantasy output similar to Herbert’s 2021 campaign could be in play this coming season. Justin Herbert ‘s Season Stats [... truncated ...]
The Green Bay Packers are locking in an important piece of their core. The Packers signed wide receiver Christian Watson to a four-year, $110.5 million contract extension that includes a $31 million signing bonus, ESPN reported . He previously signed a one-year, $11 million extension to cover his fifth NFL season. The new contract makes Watson one of the highest-paid receivers in all of football. The table below shows the highest-paid receivers in the NFL by average annual value, in millions. Watson checks in 15th in the NFL by average annual value for receivers, just ahead of Buffalo Bills wideout DJ Moore, who signed a four-year, $110 million contract with the Chicago Bears before the trade. Watson enters his fifth season, having recorded 133 catches for 2,264 yards and 20 touchdowns through his first four years. He missed a portion of last season while recovering from an injury that ended his 2024 campaign, then caught 35 passes for 611 yards and six scores in his 10 games played in 2025. Watson has largely been a rotational player throughout his career, playing between 56% and 77% of snaps, with that 77% mark coming back in 2023, when he played in only nine games. The Packers previously used a heavy rotation at wide receiver, but with the offseason departures of Romeo Doubs via free agency and Dontayvion Wicks via trade, the room should consolidate around Watson, Jayden Reed and 2025 first-rounder Matthew Golden . That consolidation could allow Watson's sparkling per-route and per-target efficiency to shine through on a full-season basis, as it hasn't yet. Watson averaged 2.15 yards per route run during his career, according to Tru Media, a mark that ranks 15th-best out of the 202 wideouts who have run at least 250 routes since 2022. Watson has also averaged 9.97 yards per target, which ranks fourth among the same group of players. Because of injuries and the rotation the Packers have used, though, he is only 81st among that group in total routes run. That could skew the efficiency numbers a bit, but likely not enough to nullify them. The per-route and per-target efficiency has been there every year except for the one where he played only nine games. Watson is a speed demon who has consistently been a threat deep down the field, catching 22 passes on throws of 20-plus yards, according to Tru Media. He will likely continue to be primarily an intermediate and deep threat moving forward considering the Packers have both Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft to work the short and over-the-middle areas of the field, but if he can become a consistent producer on routes like slants and hitches, he will only become more dangerous. Of course, Watson will have to stay healthy in order to fulfill his promise, and that's been an issue throughout his career. He's suffered numerous injuries and has played in only 48 of 68 possible games to date. Unless and until he proves he can stay consistently healthy, he might have to continue being part of a rotation so that the Packers can ensure he doesn't take on too much wear and tear. If that's the case, his overall production might continue to lag behind that of the players with whom he now shares salary real estate
Christian Watson has agreed to a four-year, $110.5 million contract extension with the Green Bay Packers, keeping him with the team after an impressive return from injury in the 2025 season. The deal includes a $31 million signing bonus. Watson's extension follows the recent deals of fellow receivers Jaylen Reed and Matthew Golden, while Romeo Doubs departed in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded
Christian Watson got his money. Now the obvious question looms: is he worth the money? Watson stands atop a revamped Packers’ wide receiver depth chart. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are gone, departed via free agency and a trade, respectively. Jayden Reed is back, retained on a contract extension of his own earlier this offseason, joining second-year first round pick Matthew Golden and second-year gadget man Savion Williams among the top four. But Watson’s big deal and dubious injury history invites the most questions, and fairly so. But the answer is easy. Watson isn’t just worth the money, he’s clearly the Packers’ best receiver and he’s ready for a big role. Let’s start with Watson’s unique abilities, because he’s always had a tantalizing height/weight/speed profile. Standing a shade over 6-foot-4 and weighing 208 pounds, Watson ran a blistering 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine to go with a whole host of other elite physical attributes. He can do it all, and he’s largely backed it up on the field. Last year, he was one of just two players in the NFL (along with Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts ) to average 17.5 or more yards per catch on 55 or more targets. And in 2024, Watson, Pierce, and Keon Coleman were the only three players to crack 17.5 per catch on 50 or more targets. When he’s on the field, Watson is producing in rare company. The availability has been the fly in the ointment, but I think those concerns have been a bit overblown the past couple of seasons, in truth. In 2022 and 2023, Watson played in just 25 of a possible 36 games (counting playoffs) due to a whole host of nagging injuries. But 2024 and 2025 have been wholly different. In 2024, he missed just three of 18 games due to injury, and one of those three was a result of his torn ACL in Week 18. That torn ACL cost him an additional six games in 2025, but he missed zero additional games for injury reasons outside of that, though he did sit out Week 18 because the Packers had nothing to play for. So can he handle a higher volume role now that he’s getting paid more? What if I told you he’s already doing it? From the time he returned from his torn ACL through the end of the season, Watson was the Packers’ de facto top receiver. From Week 8 through the end of the season, he led the Packers in targets, yards, receiving touchdowns, and tied for the team lead in first downs. That does come with the obvious caveat that Tucker Kraft went down shortly after Watson’s return, freeing up a lot of targets. But even so, Watson more than held his own in an offense that had largely been focused on getting targets to Romeo Doubs. And just as importantly, you can look back through Watson’s career and find a stretch of seven weeks or more (often a lot more) in every season where he receives the lion’s share of the Packers’ receiving volume. In 2022, he of course had his massive explosion, leading the Packers in targets, catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns from Weeks 10-18. In 2023, he was second on the team in targets, catches, and first downs and first in yards and touchdowns from Weeks 4 through 13. And in 2024, Watson was first in targets, catches, yards, and first downs from Weeks 8 through 15. That’s more than just saying “Watson is good when healthy.” That’s a guy who’s been the team’s clear top receiving option when healthy. That’s a guy with rare physical attributes who has put up rare numbers when he’s had the opportunity. The Packers aren’t just throwing money at Watson, hoping he can be something great. They’ve seen him do it already, and they’re buying in for the next few years. And hopefully it signals a pivot to an offense where Jordan Love is really allowed to let it rip . But maybe that’s just getting greedy
The Green Bay Packers further shaped the future of their receiving corps by locking in another key contributor for the long term. Wide receiver Christian Watson and the Packers on June 4 agreed to a four-year, $110.5 million contract, according to multiple reports. The move comes a little more than a month after Green Bay struck a three-year, $50.25 million extension with fellow receiver Jayden Reed . Yet it's hardly been status quo for the Packers' collection of pass catchers. Romeo Doubs , who led the team with 55 catches and 724 receiving yards in 2025, signed with the New England Patriots in free agency. Green Bay also later traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles . The Packers are also counting on 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden to play a heftier role in the passing attack in his second season. Watson, 27, sat out until late October last season as he worked his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in 2024. He re-established his position as one of the NFL's pre-eminent deep threats, averaging 17.5 yards per catch while tying for the team lead in touchdown catches with six. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian Watson contract: Packers strike huge extension with receiver
It’s official — the Green Bay Packers plan to have Christian Watson as their number one wide receiver for the foreseeable future. On Thursday morning, the two sides agreed to a massive new contract extension that will keep the wide receiver in Green Bay through 2030. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter , the deal is a four-year extension that is worth $110 million in new money, a $27.5 million average, and comes with a $31 million signing bonus. These numbers come in just shy of the deal that Alec Pierce signed with the Indianapolis Colts in the offseason (4 years/$114 million), which APC projected as a comparable deal for Watson when it was signed. Unlike Pierce’s contract, however, Watson still had a year remaining on his current deal, which was set to earn him $5.75 million in cash for the 2026 season. Adding the new deal onto his existing 2026 compensation effectively makes this worth $115.75 million over five years, or $23.15 million per year. When healthy, Watson has been a tremendous deep threat for the Packers, having averaged 17.0 yards per reception for his career. He took a step forward in 2025, setting career highs in yards per game (61.1) and receptions per game (3.5), both top marks among the Packers’ wide receivers. (Notably, tight end Tucker Kraft matched Watson’s YPG exactly and averaged 4 catches per game.) The Packers also signed Jayden Reed to a new contract extension earlier this offseason, locking him in through the 2029 season. With last year’s first-round draft pick, Matthew Golden , also under team control through 2029 , the Watson extension solidifies the team’s wide receiver group for the next several years as the Packers look to break through the NFC field and make a Super Bowl run. Kraft remains the biggest remaining priority for the Packers in terms of extension candidates, as the superstar tight end heads into the final year of his rookie contract. Watson returned from a torn ACL in week 7 last year, and in the only full game that both he and Kraft played — a 35-25 win over the Steelers in week 7 — Watson caught 4 passes for 85 yards while Kraft had 7 catches for 143 and two scores
The Green Bay Packers have reportedly made a big-time commitment to one of their most potent big-play threats. They've signed wide receiver Christian Watson to a four-year, $110.5 million extension that comes with a $31 million signing bonus, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Thursday. Last year, Watson, 27, completed his recovery from the ACL tear he suffered in his right knee during the 2024 regular-season finale and returned to the field in Week 8 of the 2025 campaign. Once back, he piled up 35 receptions, 611 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns across 10 outings. In that span, according to Next Gen Stats, Watson led the NFL with 294 deep receiving yards and was tied for the most touchdowns (four) in that category. Also, per NGS, he ran a vertical route at a 49.4% rate, the 12th highest among all players in the league who accumulated at least 225 routes last season. Although Watson's downfield impact makes him a difference-maker, it's important to note that he's appeared in just 48 of a possible 68 regular-season games during his career and that he's yet to notch more than 620 receiving yards in a single season. Watson is the second wideout the Packers have extended this offseason. They also inked Jayden Reed to a three-year deal reportedly worth $50.25 million . Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament Green Bay selected Reed out of Michigan State in the second round of the 2023 draft. The Packers took Watson a year before, in the second round of the 2022 draft. After showcasing his potential at North Dakota State, where he was a four-time FCS national champion, Watson joined Green Bay's receiving corps ahead of quarterback Aaron Rodgers ' 18th and final go-around with the franchise. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Watson flashed his skill set as a rookie, pulling in seven of his now-20 career touchdown receptions. He helped smooth over the Packers' transition from Rodgers to Jordan Love , providing him a sizable target on third down, downfield and in the red zone. In each of Watson's four seasons with the Packers, he's registered 20 or more receiving first downs. Amid Green Bay's agonizing wild-card round loss to the rival Chicago Bears during last season's playoffs, Watson hauled in the first of Love's four touchdown passes. That play was a good example of how Watson isn't a one-trick pony. On third-and-2 in the red zone, he lined up on the left side of a bunched formation. After the ball was snapped, he sprinted right, parallel to the line of scrimmage, while Love faked a handoff. Rolling out, Love then dumped the ball off to Watson, who caught the ball and angled toward the pylon for a first-quarter score. Watson, Reed and second-year pro Matthew Golden are expected to be Green Bay's top wideouts this season. The Packers let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency. He signed a lucrative, four-year deal with the New England Patriots. Green Bay then traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for draft picks. Watson secured a one-year, reported $13.25 million extension last September while working his way back to the field. He impressed upon re-entering the lineup and is now reportedly being rewarded handsomely
The 2026 NFL season is a few months away, and the anticipation for week one is at an extremely high level. As the NFL Network has done their player consensus Top 100 ranking each year, Windy City Gridiron’s staff has put together a roundtable over the last few seasons of the best players in the NFC North. With six contributors pitching in for this year’s roundtable, there was a strong diversity of opinions that provided for some entertaining rankings. Before we get started, let’s set up the ground rules. Each WCG participant was asked to send their top 32 players in the NFC North. A player’s ranking determined how many points they would receive (32 points for first, 31 points for second, etc.), and the total points were added up to create the rankings. Note: Tiebreakers will be broken by whichever player appeared on more ballots. If that total is the same, then the tiebreaker will go to whichever player received the highest ranking on an individual ballot. If that scenario also does not result in a clear winner, ballot organizer Jacob Infante will break the tie. 11. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson 12. Bears TE Colston Loveland 13. Lions S Brian Branch 14. Packers S Xavier McKinney 15. Packers OT Zach Tom 16. Vikings OT Christian Darrisaw 17. Packers TE Tucker Kraft 18. Vikings EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel 19. Lions LB Jack Campbell 20. Lions S Kerby Joseph 21. Lions TE Sam LaPorta 22. Packers QB Jordan Love 23. Lions WR Jameson Williams 24. Packers RB Josh Jacobs 25. Bears EDGE Montez Sweat 26. Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper 27. Bears S Coby Bryant 28. Bears LB Devin Bush 29. Bears CB Kyler Gordon 30. Vikings OT Brian O’Neill 31. Vikings WR Jordan Addison 32. Bears G Jonah Jackson 33. Bears WR Luther Burden III 34. Bears WR Rome Odunze 35. Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson 36. Bears S Dillon Thieneman 37. Packers WR Jayden Reed 38. Vikings LB Blake Cashman 39. Lions DT Alim McNeill 40. Lions OT Blake Miller 41. Vikings WR Jauan Jennings 42. Bears RB D’Andre Swift 43. Packers WR Christian Watson 44. Packers DT Javon Hargrave 45. Vikings G Will Fries 46. Lions CB D.J. Reed Jr. 47. Packers DT Devonte Wyatt 48. Lions G Tate Ratledge 49. Packers LB Zaire Franklin 50. Vikings CB James Pierre Highest Ranking: 10 (Wiltfong) Last Year’s Ranking : No. 16 A Pro Bowler in three of his last four seasons, Jared Goff’s 18,206 passing yards since 2022 are the most of any quarterback in the NFL. He’s been consistently accurate for the Lions, surpassing at least a 65.0% completion percentage every season since his arrival in Detroit in 2021. He’s also graded in the top eight in PFSN QB Impact Scoring each of his last four seasons, with 2022 being the year that Ben Johnson became his offensive coordinator. Though the Lions took a step back with the departure of Johnson, Aaron Glenn, and numerous other coaches, Goff was as reliable as they came last year. Highest Ranking: 1 (Gooch) Last Year’s Ranking: No. 39 The first-place finish from Donald Gooch is enough to propel Caleb Williams into the top 10 of this list, but Williams would still finish high in these rankings with the love he got from other WCG voters. He finished in the top 10 in the NFL with 3,942 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns, leading the league with six fourth-quarter comebacks and tying for the second-most game-winning drives at six. As he continues to develop, an even higher ranking could be in the cards for Williams next year. Highest Ranking: 7 (Orenchuk, Baugher, Mongo) Last Year’s Ranking: No. 20 Darnell Wright receives a much-deserved jump from 2024 to 2025, as he earned the first All-Pro recognition of his career last season. He allowed a career-low three sacks and 19 pressures on 638 pass-blocking snaps in 2025, solidifying himself as one of the best right tackles in the NFL. If he can cut down on penalties — he’s had 31 in his three seasons with the Bears — there’s no reason to think he can’t remain among the league’s elite for a long time
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Despite his talent and recent contract extension, Jayden Reed's fantasy value remains uncertain due to his primary slot role and historical usage patterns. While the Packers' commitment suggests an expanded role, competition from Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, along with Reed's injury history, has seen him fall in dynasty rankings
Let’s continue our series breaking down every player on the Green Bay Packers’ roster with the receiver position. The position had a decent amount of turnover this offseason, after Romeo Doubs was lost in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles . Who is left on the Packers’ depth chart, and what can we expect from them? Let’s take a look. After returning from a 2024 ACL tear, Christian Watson had a career year with the Packers in 2025. In his previous three years, Watson averaged 43.5 receiving yards per game. That jumped to 61.1 yards per game in 2025, despite Watson only being on the field for 10 of 17 games, mostly due to his ACL recovery. Going into 2025, he should be Green Bay’s number one outside receiver option on the team. He’s also entering a contract season. Based on the money that Jameson Williams , Detroit ’s #2, and Alec Piece signed for — two speedsters — Watson is likely going to sign in the ballpark of $28 million per year on his next extension. Last year, rookie Matthew Golden split time between outside receiver and the slot (like Dontayvion Wicks) due to Jayden Reed ’s series of injuries. We’ll get into Reed a little later, but it’s my assumption that Reed will be a full-time slot in 2026, which will give Golden more opportunities as an outside receiver. There are a couple of interesting things going on with a Golden move to the outside. First of all, Golden was often used as the motion man when he was an outside receiver. He rarely lined up outside, didn’t move, and ran a route. Frequently, the Packers would use him in motion and give him a full head of stream to run his routes, almost like a CFL or Arena Football receiver. The Miami Dolphins have previously done this with receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle . Secondly, we’ve rarely seen Watson, Golden and Reed on the field together. According to Next Gen Stats, this trio played just 14 snaps together in the entire 2025 season, mostly in obvious passing situations. So how do they fit together? We really don’t know. For his entire career, Jayden Reed has been used almost exclusively as a slot-only receiver in Green Bay , which is why I think he’ll continue to fill that role moving forward. With that being said, the Packers generally used Reed as their designated “small” receiver (LaFleur generally likes to play receivers who are 6’0” or taller and 205 pounds or heavier on the outside). Green Bay now has two “small” receivers at the top of their receiver depth chart with Golden moving up the outside receiver pecking order. Is it possible that Golden and Reed share roles more often in 2026? Will the Packers be more of a pass-first offense now that they don’t have ideal bodies to block on the perimeter of runs? I wouldn’t completely close the door on that, but I’m still starting with a baseline guess that Reed will be the full-time slot this year, based on the team’s prior actions. All of last year, rookie receiver Savion Williams dealt with a foot injury that kept him in a walking boot until game days. This plan worked for 12 games before Williams was ultimately shut down for the remainder of the season. For the most part, Williams filled the role of kick returner and offensive gadget player as a rookie. As we noted last year, Williams was being fed the ball like an All-Pro receiver when he was on the field , even though his snaps were limited. Basically, if he was on the field, there was an extremely high chance that he was going to get the ball, usually on runs or screens. You could argue that the losses of Doubs and Wicks have pushed Williams up from being WR6 last year to WR4 this year, making him the next man up if Watson, Golden or Reed are ever off the field. That’s a pretty big jump. A good portion of the Packers’ success in 2026 could rely on whether Williams can make the transition from gadget player to true all-around receiver, as he puts his foot injury behind him. This time last year, Green Bay was t
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