Heading into the 2023 regular season, there has been a lot of discussion about the inexperience on the Green Bay Packers offense. The person with the most eyes on them will be quarterback Jordan Love.
He is entering Year 4 of his career, but he might as well be a rookie when it comes to his track record. Love spent the first three seasons of his career as the backup to Aaron Rodgers, making one start and 10 total appearances, throwing 83 total passes.
Alas, that is more experience than most of the skill position groups surrounding him. The Packers took an unorthodox route building the offense around Love in part because they wanted to get their salary cap situation in check. That has resulted in very young players playing prominent roles.
Green Bay doesn’t have a single wide receiver or tight end with more than one season of NFL experience on the roster. Wide receivers Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure were 2022 draft picks. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Malik Heath are from the 2023 draft class.
At tight end, Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft were drafted this year as well. Ben Sims, who was claimed off of waivers following cutdown day from the Minnesota Vikings, was an undrafted free agent out of Baylor this year.
For Fantasy Football managers, the Packers offer some real upside but not many clear answers. Outside of running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, and probably Watson, there isn’t anything set when it comes to a pecking order for this group.
That, in the opinion of Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, is the most burning question centered around the Packers for Fantasy Football. Who will become Love’s top target in the passing game, presenting value to managers?
“Might it be Christian Watson, the big-play weapon who took the NFL by storm in the second half of his rookie season? Might it be Romeo Doubs, perhaps Love’s most sure-handed target? Might it even be rookie tight end Luke Musgrave, the second-round pick and athletic freak who looks to be a matchup nightmare? That’s the beauty of this year’s Packers offense. Though their skill players are inexperienced and unproven, they offer plenty of intrigue and potential.”
Early money is certainly on Watson, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of North Dakota State, to be the leading receiver. He has developed chemistry with Love and looked great during the offseason, ready for an expanded role.
But, injuries are once again hampering him heading into the season. He and Doubs both missed practice on Wednesday with hamstring issues, potentially throwing the offense for a loop. In their absence, someone else could rise the ranks as Love’s top target.
Heath, the undrafted Ole Miss product, is a sleeper. He was the team’s most productive wide receiver in the preseason and could have moved into the fourth spot on the depth chart with his performance, outshining Toure and Wicks.
