The Green Bay Packers’ offense is going to look drastically different in 2022. Losing your number one and two wide receiver on your depth chart will do that. Davante Adams is now catching passes from Derek Carr in Vegas. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. That means that Allen Lazard and (likely) Sammy Watkins will be competing for that number one wide receiver spot. However, Green Bay’s offense figures to go much deeper than whoever lines up at WR1. LaFleur explains why.
Matt Lafleur: ‘The Ball’s Gonna Get Spread Around’ in Packers Offense
Matt Schneidman posted on Twitter today that the Packers’ head coach has a plan for this offense.
PSA from Matt LaFleur to stay away from Packers WRs in fantasy:
“I don’t think anybody’s clear cut in front of the other guy. I think it’s gonna be very much the ball’s gonna get spread around and we’re gonna try to feature different guys in different spots.”
In all but one season since 2013, Rodgers’ top option has gotten more than 120 targets. That number has gone over the 150-target mark four times. (The lone exception came during Rodgers’ injury-plagued 2017 campaign.). It is clear that Aaron Rodgers likes to have a number one option on a team. It remains to be seen if that guy is going to be Lazard, Watkins, or someone else this year. Rodgers has had a ton of praise for many guys on the offensive side of the ball. That goes for the running backs as well. Additionally, for the first time under LaFleur, the Packers take seven wide receivers onto the initial 53 man roster.
Green Bay’s Wide Receivers as of Tuesday’s Deadline:
The #Packers have 7 wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster:
Allen Lazard
Randall Cobb
Sammy Watkins
Christian Watson
Romeo Doubs
Amari Rodgers
Samori Toure— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) August 30, 2022
Those seven on top of both running backs (Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon) prove to be a ton of weapons for Rodgers. Last year Jones and Dillon combined for over 700 receiving yards alone. Matt LaFleur may have that number drastically increase in 2022.
Doubs has been a stand out early. Toure, Green Bay’s last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, impressed enough to make the initial 53 man roster. We haven’t even seen what Watson can be yet. Amari Rodgers still remains a question mark, however he is clearly more explosive than he was last year. Then you have the group led by veterans Lazard, Watkins, and Cobb. Rodgers may realistically have nine legitimate options in the passing game (seven WRs, two RBs) come week one, NOT counting tight ends.
or More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @mcquadewarnold, follow us @WiSportsHeroics, and listen to our Podcast The Cheese Dads! To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here!