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Updates from Week 4
Quarterbacks
With nothing whatsoever to prove, four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers has spent much of camp talking up the development of backup Jordan Love. If Rodgers is to be believed, the third-year man has “definitely become a master of the offense” despite mixed reports out of camp. And to his credit, Love bounced back nicely from a slow start in Thursday’s preseason finale. After a pair of three-and-outs, Love led the team on a pair of scoring drives, going 7-for-10 for 95 yards along the way. "Early on, there wasn't really a lot open for him, and he was under some duress," coach Matt LaFleur said. "But one thing I loved about it was, when the game doesn't start out the way you want it to, how do you respond? He showed a lot of resiliency, and that shows the maturation process that he's done over the last couple years." The praise is nice, but it’s concerning that Love is still essentially auditioning for the long-term backup job here in Year Three. Still, it’s a longshot ex-Patriot Danny Etling can steal the No. 2 job this year (despite a strong preseason).
Running Backs
The Packers find themselves blessed with a pair of polished, dynamic, all-around backfield threats in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. LaFleur knows what he has and is happy to consider Jones and Dillon his “1A and 1A” backs. In other words, it’s foolhardy for fantasy players to try and separate their roles: both will play on all three downs, and both will be fed the ball plenty. “They’re two of the premier backs in our league,” LaFleur told media last week. “They can do anything.” Down the depth chart, the team has a decision to make in the No. 3 slot with Kylin Hill on the regular-season PUP. Undrafted rookie Tyler Goodson has dazzled throughout camp and the preseason, and his 24-yard touchdown Thursday night made a statement. But Goodson also bungled a kickoff return and likely falls behind Patrick Taylor in a few key areas. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman worries that Goodson wouldn’t clear waivers and make it onto the practice squad, which should at least boost Goodson’s chances.
Wide Receivers
The Packers still field a logjam at receiver as they look to replace Davante Adams’ production as much as possible. SI.com’s Bill Huber notes eight wideouts with the potential to make the roster and ultimately expects seven of them to do so. Most likely, veterans Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb will win out as Aaron Rodgers’ most trusted intermediate targets. That would leave Amari Rodgers to battle for value at the bottom of the depth chart, while rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs – as well as Sammy Watkins – play situational snaps. But there may not be enough firepower to be found among the veterans, which would force Rodgers to sample from his gifted rookies. Doubs has been up-and-down throughout camp, dazzling in practices but struggling with drops in the preseason games. And Watson didn’t join team drills until midway through camp as he rehabbed an injury. For his part, Watkins shook off quiet camp speculation of being “the odd man out” and seems to have rebounded nicely. Aaron Rodgers pointed to a specific spot during camp in which he “felt better” in his growing connection with the ninth-year Watkins. One piece the team no longer feels a need for is rookie Danny Davis III, a converted wideout from Wisconsin, who was cut last Thursday.
Tight Ends
Starter Robert Tonyan Jr didn’t suit up in the preseason as he rehabbed from ACL surgery. But it was encouraging to see the team remove him from PUP midway through camp; he now looks ready to roll for the season. His offseason recovery reports were generally solid. They’ll apparently enter the season with Deguara, 38-year-old blocking specialist Marcedes Lewis, and converted quarterback Tyler Davis as depth. Davis is an intriguing athlete, and he saw ample action last year for the team after Tonyan was injured.
Kickers
The Packers won’t commit to Mason Crosby coming off the PUP list by Tuesday’s deadline, so it could be Ramiz Ahmed as the kicker for at least the first four weeks of the season. The team could also reassess their options after final cuts if they know they will be without Crosby until at least October. Stay away from this situation in fantasy drafts.
Defense
As the Packers continue to transition their identity from high-scoring offense to clock-controlling LaFleur-ball, their defensive performance keeps growing more and more crucial. Thankfully, this may be the deepest and most talented Green Bay defense in years. Packers.com’s Wes Hodklewicz is giddy over the edge-rush duo of Rashan Gary and Preston Smith and notes the depth of talent across the front seven as a whole. And on the back end, Packer Report’s Zachary Jacobson shakes off the team’s recent injury woes by pointing out the versatility LaFleur has pieced together. “Cornerbacks like Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas are cross-trained inside and out. And their safeties, Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos, are deployed practically everywhere.”
Returners
Amari Rodgers struggled as a returner for the Packers last year. Still, he’s looked better this offseason and remained the top option throughout the preseason, which suggests the Packers will give him another chance in 2022.
Updates from Week 3
Quarterbacks
Fully healthy and fresh off back-to-back MVP trophies, Aaron Rodgers likely won’t feel the need to tune up in the preseason. The team is much more focused on its third scouting go-round of backup Jordan Love. It’s Love’s third camp and almost certainly a make-or-break one, and the results are cautiously optimistic. Love threw three interceptions in the preseason opener, but two of those could reasonably be pinned on receiver drops. And it was encouraging to see him lead a pair of scoring drives in Friday’s win over the Saints. “I think the game has slowed down for him,” coach Matt LaFleur commented after Friday’s win, adding that Love was “light years ahead” of where he was last year.
Running Backs
Co-starters Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon know their NFL success in the 2020s will hinge upon their ability to contribute to the passing game. Rodgers knows it, too, and last week he brought up the possibility of the duo achieving a rare statistical feat. “I think 50 for both those guys is realistic,” Rodgers told reporters, referring to Jones and Dillon becoming just the seventh set of running back teammates to each catch 50 balls in a season. “We’re going to play our best guys when the season starts… the guys I trust the most and the guys the coaches trust the most.” The comments came after a particularly frustrating practice for the team’s young wideouts; Rodgers seems prepared to lean heavily on his talented backs in shaky times. (For what it’s worth, Jones sees “four [catches] a game” as a doable goal for himself.) As for the No. 3 role, which is rarely utilized on offense, LaFleur has clarified that special-teams prowess will factor heavily into the decision. That would seemingly give a leg-up to a veteran, but undrafted rookie Tyler Goodson continues to give reason to believe. Goodson has run well throughout camp and the preseason and brings 70 college receptions to the table.
Wide Receivers
While second-rounder Christian Watson has yet to practice with the team, fellow rookie Romeo Doubs has spent camp wowing onlookers with his “rare” all-around skillset. In a nutshell, he’s doing everything flawlessly except catching the ball. Last Tuesday, Doubs muffed a would-be touchdown after yet again lifting the lid off the Saints’ secondary in joint practice. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman points out that the phenom has still put far more good (even dazzling) football on tape than bad – and that Doubs caught another touchdown in Friday’s win. Still, while the Packers' depth chart isn’t exactly robust, it’s at least crowded, and the fourth-rounder still has plenty to prove. “You keep dropping the ball, you’re not going to be out there,” Rodgers remarked after practice without naming Doubs specifically. “It’s going to be the most reliable guys that are out there.” Comments like that should make the fantasy world feel good about new No. 1 Allen Lazard, who’s lacked flash but been wildly dependable for Rodgers for four years. Watson came off the PUP last week and participated in some individual work. He may not suit up for the preseason, which would set him way behind Doubs and Sammy Watkins, who’s poised for “as productive a year as he wants,” according to Rodgers. Down the depth chart, second-year man Amari Rodgers seems to have faded into the background. SI.com’s Bill Huber has seen a disappointing second preseason, pointing out a bevy of mistakes both on offense and in the return game. Rodgers is awfully young, but it wouldn’t surprise many to see Randall Cobb again come out ahead in the slot competition.
Tight Ends
The team is happy to welcome starter Robert Tonyan Jr, who tore his ACL last October, back to the fold. Tonyan came off the PUP last week, though LaFleur made sure to drive home that he’s not necessarily out of the woods. "It's just like the next step in the process," LaFleur said Sunday. "It's not like [Tonyan’s] going to be out there in team drills.” His return, once official, will relegate camp mini-star Josiah Deguara back to the bench. But the buzz has yet to die down on converted quarterback Tyler Davis, who keeps dazzling in his pursuit of a slot role. “I think we might have something there,” general manager Brian Gutekunst remarked after the Davis’ first week of camp.
Kickers
Mason Crosby is still on the PUP list, but Matt LaFleur said he has been doing some kicking. All reports have the team expecting him to be ready for Week 1 against Minnesota. Ramiz Ahmed went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts with a long of 45 yards and made both extra-point attempts in a display that kicker-poor teams should take notice of.
Defense
The Packers’ shift from offensive juggernaut to defensive stalwart may take a big step here in 2022. The first-team defense has gone seamlessly from smothering its own offense in camp practice to stifling the 49ers and Saints in preseason action. The deep front seven and talented young secondary enter 2022 with unshakable confidence in the Packers as a defensively-oriented team. "Domination, that's our key," Douglas said last week of the unit’s philosophy. "Everybody gets dominated, no matter who you are.” Most importantly, the engine driving the show, All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, is healthy and back to creating sheer havoc in coverage. Alexander’s elite man-cover skills help allow the aggressive front seven and secondary to attack the ball early and often.
Offensive Line
Right tackle Elgton Jenkins was removed from the PUP list and rejoined the team. Jenkins could move to left tackle, where David Bakhtiari remains unavailable. But Yosh Nijman, the team's swing tackle, has been better on the left side than on the right. Right guard is a battle between Royce Newman, Jake Hanson, and rookie Zach Tom. Tom may not win the guard battle, but he's been outstanding all camp in pass protection. This group grades well and has tremendous talent, but it's tough to predict where it will all line up.
Updates from Week 2
Quarterbacks
With nothing to prove and little to learn, Aaron Rodgers won’t see much (if any) preseason action. His camp roles will instead be odd headline generator and mentor to still-hopeful heir Jordan Love. The youngster’s third camp hasn’t yet been the charm. His play has been mixed at best, though SI.com’s Bill Huber offers good reason to allow Love one more chance to win hearts. Yes, Love threw three interceptions in the preseason opener, but it must be noted that two of them came from Packers drops. (And according to coach Matt LaFleur, blame for the third can be pinned on poor route-running.) Huber preaches patience but submits that the next two weeks of camp are “enormous” for Love’s future.
Running Backs
The Packers’ backfield is relatively settled; it was no surprise to see co-starters Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon sit the preseason opener. Of course, Jones and Dillon will dominate the backfield, but the fantasy world is always scanning camp and preseason to glean anything about distribution. For what it’s worth, Dillon, who caught just, continues to draw raves for his natural ability to catch the ball and make plays with it. The search is on for their direct backup and presumed No. 3 Kylin Hill remains on the PUP list. Thus far, the strongest candidate to slot in for a still-rehabbing Hill looks like undrafted rookie Tyler Goodson. The former Iowa bell cow didn’t do much on the ground against the 49ers, but his 12 carries and 37 yards led the way, and he made an impressive 23-yard catch to boot.
Wide Receivers
Another week, another set of rave camp reviews for fourth-round rookie wideout Romeo Doubs. The team has cast a wide net in replacing alpha receiver Davante Adams, adding Sammy Watkins, Doubs, and fellow rookie Christian Watson to a depth chart of role players. Second-rounder Watson has yet to practice in camp as he recovers from knee surgery, while Watkins has yet to “give the Packers much of a spark” in Watson’s absence. The team knows what it has in veterans Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, so all eyes of late have been on the big, quick-footed Doubs. It hasn’t all been rosy: Doubs was tagged with two drops in the preseason opener, catching three of his seven looks overall. Yahoo! Sports’ Zach Kruse noted him getting open consistently on all levels of the field and that Doubs made himself available on several deep routes that the quarterbacks didn’t see. That could’ve burned down the internet. Doubs has wowed media, coaches, and teammates alike in practices, showcasing all the hallmarks of a No. 1 wideout. Like the departed Adams, Doubs is a big-bodied ball dominator who can quickly and easily earn Aaron Rodgers’ trust. He was drafted as a darkhorse to start in 2022, but those odds seem to improve daily. Amari Rodgers may have already been leapfrogged down the depth chart by Doubs, but he’s likely locked down the kick return job.
Tight Ends
The tight end position has shrunk in importance in the passing game recently, largely due to a lack of dynamic talent. Robert Tonyan Jr erupted for touchdowns in but remains up in the air for the beginning of 2022. He's on the PUP list with an ambiguous timetable; once expected to be ready for the start of the camp, there’s still “no update on how close he is to returning to practice.” Holdover Josiah Deguara has dominated first-team reps in his place, albeit in an H-back role all over the formation. Deguara may or may not make his presence felt in the passing game this year. Still, there’s a similar chance we hear from ex-quarterback Tyler Davis, who profiles as a slot specialist in the vein of former Rodgers favorite Jermichael Finley.
Kickers
Mason Crosby is still on the PUP list with a knee injury. Rookie Gabe Brkic badly missed a 32-yard field goal in the preseason opener, which the team chalked up to a hamstring injury he suffered in warmups. The team turned to Ramiz Ahmed to help, signing him on August 14 and releasing Brkic to make room for him. The team will evaluate Ahmed to see if he’s a suitable replacement for Crosby if Crosby isn’t ready for the season opener against the Vikings.
Defense
For the first time in a while, the Green Bay defense has, by all accounts, consistently won training camp practices. As the offense works through a semi-rebuild, coordinator Joe Barry’s well-built unit continues to gel – and its individual pieces continue to shine. Cornerback Jaire Alexander, already an All-Pro, is fully healthy and looks like a true defensive cornerstone. Up front, Barry’s vision of a deep, dominant front line is humming along, with a handful of versatile pieces rotating nicely. Budding star Rashan Gary has been consistently disruptive. In contrast, diamond-in-the-rough T.J. Slaton has made an impact – he’ll be a prominent rotation member to enter the year. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman points to journeyman Jarran Reed as an impact signing on the inside.
Returners
Amari Rodgers served as the return specialist for the Packers last year, but he struggled, and the entire unit was dreadful. He's looking leaner and more decisive in his second season (including on a 50-yard kickoff return in the first preseason game). Still, given his performance last season, the team is holding an open competition featuring Randall Cobb, Romeo Doubs, and Rico Gafford.
Updates from Week 1
Quarterbacks
There's little left to learn at camp about Aaron Rodgers, but it's good to see him in an upbeat mood as the offense rebuilds on the fly. "I felt coming into camp, to be honest, we were going to get our butts kicked most days because our defense is talented and deep and athletic," Rodgers said last week. "It's one of the best defenses on paper that we've had, but I told those chumps, '1-0 offense.'" Rodgers has done minimal camp work and likely won't see a single preseason snap in an offense that's revolved around him for over a decade. The onus is now on his young, patched-together receiving corps to learn their way into Rodgers' routes and good graces. Behind Rodgers, third-year prospect Jordan Love has drawn early-camp praise in what's likely his last chance to leave a forward impression on the team. Unfortunately, the results remain mixed once the pads go on.
Running Backs
A.J. Dillon showed last year that his lack of pass-game work in college was an aberration. The bruiser caught 34 of his 37 targets in 2021, and the team has no reservations about his ability to serve as a full-bodied complement to the explosive Aaron Jones. “His pass-catching is really, really solid,” Rodgers said of Dillon last week. “He's made difficult catches look easy over the last couple of years and this training camp.” For his part, Jones has virtually nothing to prove in his sixth Packers camp. He remains the clear starter, though Dillon's 2021 usage looks like a floor as the RB1(b). The team is again auditioning a handful of similar late-round prospects for the No. 3 job. The early leader may be Patrick Taylor, but rookie Tyler Goodson has taken advantage of Taylor's injury over the last few practices. Goodson caught the ball well out of the backfield at Iowa and is also in the thick of the kick-return competition. Goodson and fellow rookie B.J. Baylor should dominate reps in Friday's preseason opener against the 49ers.
Wide Receivers
Davante Adams' departure has gobbled up most of the team's offseason headlines, and rightfully so, as 29% of Rodgers' 2021 targets went out the door with him. They're widely expected to balance the offense more toward the run, and the roster spots look relatively secure. But the hunt is now on for a regular rotation that's both dependable and dynamic. There are several candidates for the label of Rodgers' No. 1, but early camp suggests veteran Allen Lazard leads the pack. For what it's worth, the veteran has looked up to the task in drills against All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. Second-round rookie Christian Watson continues to rehab a knee injury, which the team doesn't seem concerned about, but most of the early buzz has gone to fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs in his place. Doubs may have already surpassed 2021 camp darling Amari Rodgers and find himself in the thick of the rotation come Week 1. Doubs is a big, versatile weapon who has fit in nicely and “made a highlight-reel catch seemingly every day.” The Athletic's Matt Schneidman notes his dazzling week of practice, which saw the rookie beat rising star Eric Stokes one-on-one more than once. “It's never been too big for him,” Rodgers said last week of Doubs. “It's the approach, and his release patterns… every single day, there's been at least one kind of ‘wow' play for him, and that's kind of rare for a young guy like that.” The wild card remains journeyman Sammy Watkins, who thankfully came off the PUP list early in camp. Considering his lengthy injury history, it wasn't encouraging to see him battle hydration and hamstring issues right off the bat.
Tight Ends
Presumed starter Robert Tonyan Jr continues to work his way back from last year's ACL surgery. That leaves the reps to blocking stalwart Marcedes Lewis, who needs little seasoning at age 38, and third-year H-back type Josiah Deguara. Deguara isn't dynamic, but he appears locked into the lead job for now, and it's notable that he's had early-camp success against the starting defense. Deguara didn't contribute much when pushed into action last year, but tight ends always matter to Rodgers in red-zone packages. Tonyan, of course, reminded fantasy players of that just two years ago.
Defense
The Packers won't have ZaDarius Smith back in the fold, but they're feeling good about the edge rushers they have in place. That's been noted throughout the beginning of camp, with the front seven preying regularly on the beaten-up offensive line. Ascending star Rashan Gary, fellow starter Dean Lowry, and impressive depth tackle T.J. Slaton have spent ample time in the backfield. In the secondary, the focus is on making more active plays on the ball, and the results have been solid. Eric Stokes, Darnell Savage, and Adrian Amos lead a group that's been attacking the ball in the air – and dropping for 20 pushups for every dropped interception.
