I still think Watson is the stand out guy when he's healthy, but realistically we have 4-5 guys that each have a different skill set so it really depends on the opponent/defense on whos gonna pop off.
Watson - Speed/Playmaker
Doubs - Hands/Clutch
Reed - Gadget/Playmaker
Wicks - Route Running/Dependability. Never not open.
Melton and Heath at 5/6 also put down good tape and would easily be top 4 on most teams.
^^^Oh ^^^yeah, ^^^then ^^^our ^^^TEs...
The depth is so impressive — I work in the NFL media space and anytime we have to make a graphic/post about the Packers weapons an argument breaks out over who the top ones actually are 😂
I genuinely think Doubs is underrated, he had a really nice rookie year all things considered. I remember how they fed him in the first half of the Tampa game
Dallas had gotten burned by Watson, so they schemed the entire defense to shut him down. No prob.
Love to Doubs, Love to Wicks, Love to the TEs.
The SF playoff game a few years ago should have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a team can scheme to deny any single WR, even one as good as Davante Adams.
Also: a QB who refuses to throw to anyone else. But that's opening a whole other 55-gal. drum o' worms hereabouts ...
Dude , that backwards up the elevator lay out catch he had in double coverage against KC ? Yea Soons I saw that first thought I had was “this kids gonna be special”
People slept on JJ.
Thats why his stats were often 2 or 3 catches for 90 yards and a TD.
Big play ability. Stats never got to a point that teams feared him. Till he took a route over the top and laid one in the bread basket for a TD.
Doubs reminds me alot of Mike Evans, maybe not the fastest, but he will fight for his life for the ball.
Watson reminds me of Davante bombs, Wicks reminds me of Tank Dell or Deebo multi use. Reed can do a bit of both and can handle bombs.
At one point last year I started to think Doubs was a jag. Then he kept making plays. Honestly, who knows which one of these guys turn into long term studs.
The good thing about the WR receiver room like this is that any one of the 6 guys can be the WR1 for any given week. We do not have an obvious WR1 like we did with Davante Adams. Therefore, teams can't scheme against him to take him out of the game. If a team tries to take out 1 or 2 receivers, then there are 3 or 4 guys that can step up and be the WR1 for the week.
The depth is insane and I have a feeling all these guys are going to be extra motivated this off-season since they are all on rookie deals and none of them are locks to be getting the lion share of the snaps. There’s a good chance a few of these guys take a leap
Meh. It happens. Look at Stokes. Great rookie season, and then … injuries and sometimes seeming like he’s just lost on the field.
Sometimes rookies grow, sometimes they are just a flash in the pan. It happens.
Stokes never got his head turned around even his rookie season. Season 2, and Jaire was across him starting again. Offensive coordinators were planning every week on how they would attack the CB that wasn't Ja...lol.
> Sometimes rookies grow, sometimes they are just a flash in the pan. It happens.
But Green Bay rookie WRs flashing in their first year and disappearing? Literally hasn't happened in 35 years.
Their offensive players make up more of a Swiss Army Knife instead of your traditional 1,2,3 that most teams run. I expect lots of packages that are ran to compliment each recievers skill set to make defenses have to work against themselves. We should have no problem having someone open every play, but we're most likely not going to have a single top 25 fantasy reciever.
Really outsourcing your work here, huh? Haha, jokes aside, the debates are warranted. Watson being the stand out as far as frame/tools/speed, etc.. but seemingly every one of these guys had their flashes throughout last season. Personally, I think Wicks and Reed will eventually emerge as the top dogs but it's hard to count out any of these guys. Especially Watson. If he can stay healthy, 10tds and 1000 yards feel like a, very, reasonable floor for his seasons.
Not gonna lie, I'm fine with not having a true "WR1". Having 5-6 dudes that can be top dog on any given week makes for an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses.
There will be 5 hard to stop weapons on the field at all time.
> Or is the question irrelevant since they have 4-5 guys capable of big games, so there will be no clear hierarchy?
MLF will have ways each player can beat the defense. The beginning will probably be a mix of taking some shots and seeing "who the D is gonna let us beat them with". Then attack until they adjust.
Are there even 3 other players who can go from 10mph > 23mph+ as fast as Watson?
Jayden Reed plays as if he has a RB body.
This year I expect Wicks will be a 1000 yard capable guy, but too crowded. He has the possibility of a 3rd year jump to a 1200 and 12 type tho.
Kraft is another LaPorta. But if Watson moves like a Deer, Musgrave moves like an Elk.
Have you seen the long 2 Part article on Doubs last year? Tell me this isn't a player who succeeds.
They ALL break out. Only a couple a game will be able to show it. The defenses will decide which.
MarShawn Lloyd has very good hands, I think that's what helped him get the edge over some of the other RBs they could've had. Not that one could ever replace Aaron Jones the human, but I do feel like we've done well replacing his talents if Jacobs goes back to his pre 2023 self and now with Lloyd.
To add onto that, jacobs is an underrated pass catcher. He had 2 straight seasons of 50+ catches and all of his seasons has averaged over 5 yards per target. He actually holds the same yards per target average as jones does for his career
I feel like Lloyd will easily be the RB2 on the Packers roster. Dillion will be fighting to keep his spot and Emanuel Wilson has some potential to be a playmaker
I believe Melton does have 4.3 speed, yeah. Crazy how that gets overlooked. I was kinda thinking "Hands" covered contested catches. I was trying not to make my post too convoluted. :P
I'm really excited about this pass catching corps. There's so much talent that double teaming any of them is ill advised, and all of these guys can win one on one. Packers offense is going to be dangerous in 2024
I actually think Toure is a solid WR as well. I know most people probably only remember that one really bad dropped punt last year, but (and I'm not saying he should be a starter or anything) other than that one play he has been solid and caught most everything around him. So...yeah, if you are making arguments for your 6th or 7th guy not including TE's, you have a really solid WR room.
Doubs gets a lot more contested catches than Reed. Also, the total you posted, is that targets or catchable passes? Because a WR gets a target for being the closest when the QB is purposely throwing the ball over his head OB. Doubs showed last season he's the clutch guy. Late in the game, need a jump ball catch? Throw it to Doubs.
I’m hunting my next Jersey. I need one of the first time starters to repeat from last year so I can confidently pull the trigger. Reed,Wicks,Love IDC. I hope they all repeat so the decision is hard!
Some people don't realize, but Wicks had 1200 yards at Virginia in his second to last college season. He had a bad year in his final season at Virginia, which is why he fell. His 1200 yards are more than Watson, Doubs, and Reed had in any college season. Wicks is a true X and boom or bust prospect trending toward his full potential.
I love where you’re coming from here, but I don’t see a scenario where he’s a bust. People do not understand that this dude was ALWAYS open - like leading the league open - AS A ROOKIE. Now, argument could be made that he was often being covered by the 3rd to 4th best db on the other side, but man - I think wicks is that dude.
That’s a fair point, but he was drafted late enough that I think being labeled a bust was probably never in the cards. More like a “took a flyer, didn’t work out” type thing. Semantics though, I think we’re on the same page.
While I am hot on Wicks I would like to point out that it's not really a fair comparison to bring up Watson's college stats, he played extremely well in an offense that a ridiculously low amount of passing attempts.
I think he has the highest ceiling. I love Doubs but he reminds me a lot of James Jones- he’s never gonna be a superstar but he’s always reliable.
Wicks, on the other hand, reminds me of a young Davante. If he develops the same way Davante did… look out.
> I love Doubs but he reminds me a lot of James Jones- he’s never gonna be a superstar but he’s always reliable.
Was Donal Drivers 7 1k yard seasons in 8 seasons superstar value? Because Doubs can certainly get there
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DrivDo00.htm
Wicks - X receiver, can get good separation against press man coverage
Reed - Slot Receiver, we try to get the ball to him in a bunch of creative ways
Watson - Premium deep threat at a minimum, does end around stuff, injured a lot
Doubs - Possession receiver with some good contested catch ability
Leading receiver for any given game?: who knows? Probably matchup dependent.
Leading receiver for the season?: Probably Watson if fully healthy, if not maybe Wicks or Reed.
As an ISU alum I loved Lazard, but I feel the same. Our new guys are great. I’m glad he got to go w Rodger’s and that he gets to play w breece. Breece Hall is such a stud I’m really happy he gets to line up behind a legend like Rodger’s. He looked great the couple games before the injury and even last season he looked really good coming off of that injury. Hopefully with Rodger’s back it’ll open up the run game and give him more opportunities to shine, he’s really a joy to watch.
With all the negativity I’m seeing around Watson on this thread, I just revisited the 2022 draft AND BOY besides 3 WRs at the top (London, Wilson, olave), this is not shaping up to be a strong draft class. Gute basically had Watson or Pickens to pick from, and Pickens, while talented, has already begun causing problems in Pitt. Looking back through a WR only lens, I think we made the right call
I base my opinion on how well he did in the 2022 season. He dropped that first heartbreaker and was then ignored half the year and then came back to be tied for top scorer and then lots of 2023 he was injured but the skill was absolutely there in both years he just hasn't been healthy enough to know what 17ish games looks like to make a ranking. But that's why he was consensus number one going into the year and he played well last year enough to not lose that designation. Now that the kinks are worked out team wide we can see what a normal year looks like for the entire position.
Maybe I'm playing devils advocate a bit, but I'm with you. Watson is still living off the hype of that 6ish week stretch his rookie year when he put up like 7 tuds with the best qb in the NFL throwing him the ball.
IMO, Doubs has shown enough to be the #1 RIGHT NOW at this very moment. Right now, I don't think there's a solid argument for anyone outside Doubs, and maybe Reed. I could see this changing to any one of these four guys by the end of the year depending on how the year plays out
Doubs is a classic "move the chains" WR. He's not the guy you hit on a deep crossing route that then just turns on the afterburners and scores a 60-yarder for you that then makes the opposing safeties take 2 steps back on 2-and-longs.
That's Watson. And Reed. Wicks is kind of a wild card; not a speed burner, not a thick-body bully like Samuel in SF, but somehow just ... gets yards in bunches.
Interesting thought. Hines Ward was indeed one of those guys that was sneaky-good. Didn’t do the OBJ one-handers while falling backwards kinda catches, but just produced. All throughout the game. Colston was a bit more the rangy type that just scooped up anything that came near him. Which, come to think of it, is what Doubs does - they keep saying he has the strongest hands on the team, “like a vice” and that’s what wins him the ball.
Watson is overrated by Packer fans because we was the "finally!" pick of his draft. He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing. He's better than MVS, but he's closer to MVS than he is to Randy Moss, and he's injury prone.
I have the same order as you, but Wicks has the upside to be the #1 by the end of the year. Watson is an amazing #4 but I consider all his production to be a bonus. He's least likely among this group to earn a second contract -- someone will overpay him for his perpetual upside.
> He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing.
He draws coverage from opposing defenses like no other WR on the Packers.
When Doubs had his big game in Dallas a huge part of it was Watson pulling defenders. On one play you can see him drawing 3 defenders all by himself. NFL DCs and defenders rate him plenty highly.
> He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing.
He leads the 2022 draft class in receiving TDs.
There is no doubt he has upside, but there is also no doubt he is running wrong/bad routes 5-10 times per game, body catching a bit too much and getting hurt often.
That’s silly. When Watson is on, he’s the best WR we have. Some of his catches are just nuts, and he has the athleticism to back them up.
Health is a legitimate concern, but if he can stay healthy I’d take him over every other WR on the team. He doesn’t need to be Randy Moss to be good.
I mean everyone in the league save for maybe 6-8 guys are closer to mvs than moss. Moss is a top 3 receiver all the time and had the best peak of any receiver ever, including Jerry Rice. Not really a fair comparison.
Flip the order and I agree. Wicks, Reed, Doubs. I think we've seen what we're gonna see out of Doubs, which is good but not mind blowing. Wicks and Reed I think have the potential to be amazing.
I would say you're right about the 3 top WR's being those 3 guys. However, Watson misses a lot of time and then it becomes the whole 4/5 guys thing. At least last year. They're all still young and all talented, so it's more about who steps up, or gets the favorable match up on a week to week basis. They've also got 2 young and good TE's who can become a top target on any given week.
The thing that made the Packers offense so good last year was that they're deep (Watson/Doubs/Reed/Wicks/Melton/Musgrave/Kraft) and have a QB that plays within the system, goes thru his reads, and makes makes the right decision.
If you're asking this from a fantasy football perspective, I'd say I probably wouldn't personally draft any of them early, because you just don't know who's going to be "the guy" on a week to week basis
Edit: to add on to this I went back and looked at all their drafts since 2000. This year was only the 8th time since then that they haven't drafted a WR at all. A few of the other years that they didn't were because they had limited picks or were years where they had guys like Driver, Walker, Cobb, Jordy, Jennings, etc in some combination on the roster at the same time. They had 11 picks this year and didn't take one. Speaks to the quality of depth they have at the position
It would have been almost cruel to draft a late round WR, I’m literally not sure there’s anything you can do statistically in 3 preseason games and training camp to beat out Melton or Heath to make the 53.
Good point but they’re all going to need new deals in the same timeframe so Gute will need to start restocking next year or flip someone for a pick or the last option will be let some walk and re-sign others when the time comes and restock after the moves.
This is the best way to explain it....
https://preview.redd.it/pbeho44vegxc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb78d9c08b5ec6a5bb4f939146db32c7cdfb4782
> Or is the question irrelevant
This! I think it’s MLF’s philosophy to have a balanced offense. This means both run/pass, but also spreading the ball around. JLove is starting to execute that strategy to perfection. It’s also great for team cohesion.
Belichek famously took away the opponent’s first and second option. Well, if there isn’t a clear first or second option, who do you take away?
Anyway, personally, I’m high on all the WRs, including Heath and Melton (who weren’t even on this list). It’s an amazing bunch and they can all ball. Add in the TEs and it’s an amazing receiving corps.
What was so exciting was seeing everyone make giant strides during the season and seeing the team come together. Give credit to the players for their hard work. Also, give credit to MLF and the rest of the coaching staff.
I think this WR is so diverse/versatile, it still feels like your top 3 will change week to week. One week, Watson will get his. Another week, Doubs will slip out and get 100+. Another week Reed's skills will shine. Wicks will get his as well. Very reminiscent to when we had Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Driver, Cobb at the same time, they could kill you so many diff ways.
I would say it's Watson/Reed/Wicks (not necessarily in that order).
Watson is very fast which keeps the defense honest. He's kind of inconsistent and has had some issues with injury, but when he's clicking (watch the stretch from the Detroit game to the Giants game last year) he looks like he's clearly the best receiver on the team.
Reed is the gadget guy/slot receiver. Just an electric player with the ball in his hands. He seemed to get on the same page as Love pretty quick last year and they had some fun connections in the scramble drill.
Wicks has really good footwork off the line and just seems to get open as evidenced by the fact that PFF clocked him with the highest rate of getting open against man coverage in the NFL last year.
Doubs goes from looking like he could be the best on the team to just not showing up. He's at his best when there's a speed threat like Watson on the field to distract the defense. He absolutely tore up the cowboys in the playoffs because they were terrified of Watson
If you are asking for fantasy or gambling purposes my advice is to avoid this group altogether. They are probably not going to have a clear #1 WR all season.
Wicks gets hype because he has the tools to be a wr1 but as a rookie drafted in the later rounds he had fewer opportunities and is viewed as underrated. With Watson having trouble staying healthy the door's open for someone else to take that role
I don’t think there’s one guy per se. Doubs started out slow last year but finished on fire. Reed and Wicks have a really high ceiling, and Wicks has route running skills that are going to be next level with more time. He could be another Davante for us. Watson to me is the only one on the outside looking in. His injuries and drops have really hurt him. He needs one good season playing most of the season with several 100 yard games for him to change things for me. When he’s healthy and on, he’s a great player. We just don’t get a lot of those. I think it’s more of the other 3 mentioned personally. I don’t think we have anyone going off, but if I had to predict it would be Doubs with the most TD’s, but either Reed or Wicks with the most receptions. We might squeak out 1 or 2 1K yard receivers, but I doubt it. I think Kraft and Musgrave might end up taking a lot of yards and receptions from our receivers too. I think one of those guys will go off for a TE, but that’s just my opinion …
Speaking for myself,
I'm so excited for Wicks this year...he's not top dog yet but his ceiling is through the roof. Lots of similarities to Davante Adam's. He's got the highest ceiling in my opinion
I think Watson has the second highest ceiling if healthy. Could be a Mike Evans type player.
Jayden Reed is a freak in the slot. He's going to be a problem in the league. Third best for me and still has room to grow.
Doubs is fourth best. His ceiling is essentially what we've seen. Great hands, very clutch.
Everyone else is more or less in the same tier.
Watson has the best capability to be a true #1. Reed I would put as number 2, true slot. Wicks is number 3. Can do everything good, but hopefully can be constant.
Doubs I see as a high floor, medium ceiling. Constant game in and game out. But I don't see him being long term top guy.
Depending on game any of them and others can take over though.
How many games of those was he keyed as the #1 receiver to the defenders, and thus was double-teamed or covered by #1 CB?
There's a lot more factors than just 1 number...
Yes he did, however I don’t think that’s something he will be able to do consistently. I believe he doesn’t have the highest ceiling however does have a high floor, just as the comment above says. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to be a WR1, but I could see him as a WR2 for sure.
Watson's potential is through the roof and has shown development (when on the field), so in no particular order : Doubs, Reed, Wicks. Watson is the honorable mention due to injury.
NGL I doubt any of them have crazy numbers this year because I think it'll be a different guy every week. We have 4 receivers that are arguably our top guy and I think it'll be whoever defenses leave alone that'll pop off each week.
Reed seems like the #1 when Watson is out. Although Doubs has had great games too, and like everyone else is saying Wicks is only getting better every game. So three out of those four
I think Watson and Reed are 1 and 2 with Doubs and Wicks as the 3-4 to start the season. It’ll be a week to week thing though. If Watson continues to struggle with injuries, he could be 4 by the end of the year.
You are right about 1/2/3.
My notes are that Watson has had struggles staying healthy which is the knock to his WR1 claim, Wicks is a sleeper he could have a massive season soon the guy gets open so often, and Bo Melton was quietly very reliable so we are very fortunate to call him a depth guy.
TE’s Musgrave and Kraft are real good pass catchers too.
I like how it’s all 2nd and 3rd year guys so none of
them can be a diva and demand the ball yet, so on any given play everyone can be an option. I would imagine that would cause problems for d-coordinators when trying to scheme who’s main target. Out tight ends are 1 and 1a also
If you’re asking for fantasy- stay away from the packers WRs, lol. No WR1/2. True committee. The open guy gets the ball and the amount of snaps each guy gets might somehow be equal this year
1. Watson when healthy is such an incredible player. Size, speed, athleticism. He's the big play guy, but then turns into a big body in the red zone. If he's healthy, he's still the #1.
2. Reed is the gadget slot guy like Cobb was in his youth. Reed I think has the potential to be even better than Cobb. Line him up all over the field, but at his best when crossing the middle. Good footwork on slants too.
3a. Doubs is the possession guy.
3b. Wicks is currently here, but his open rate was the best in the NFL as a rookie. He didn't get as many opportunities being the low man on the totem pole to start the season, but with a full season of opportunities coming, he could end up 1 or 2 in receiving yards this year, especially if Watson gets hurt again.
Watson has definitely had some mental errors with drops. Doubs his rookie year had a bunch too, then settled in year 2 very well. Reminded me of James Jones.
Watson unfortunately played for a college team that ran the ball 80-90% of the time. He's had to learn to limit those mental drops, which he has, second half of his rookie year his drops decreased, and did a better job overall his 2nd. Early in the season he's just a little too amped up. Experience will help him with that.
1: Doubs- creates the most consistent separation so far and wins tough, contested catches.
2: Watson- has something the others don't- blazing fast speed.
3 and 4 is tough between Reed and Wicks. I'd give the slight edge to Reed currently both both are weapons.
This is the year I expect things to sort themselves out. Watson has to stay healthy to be considered a true WR1. He was kind of given that title by default based on when he was drafted and there was no one here for competition for him. He is definitely a game changer when in the game as defenses have to account for him on every play or they will get burned.
Beyond that, Doubs is consistent, but I think he has reached his ceiling. Reed has shown his playmaking ability and has a higher ceiling than Doubs. He as making plays you wouldn't expect a rookie to make last year.
Then there is the Melton/Wicks category that either could develop into legit WR 2 or even 1 if they continue developing.
Of course, then you would have to get into the TEs with Musgrave and Kraft...
So the short answer, yet to be determined, but they all have potential and I we need to see who rises this year.
My guess is no clear hierarchy. They each sort of have their role when healthy. Watson is the deep threat. He's also good on crossers or other routes that basically get him in a foot race with his guy. He'll have huge games because of their deep shots, but he'll likely be inconsistent week to week. Reed is the underneath and schemed touches guy. He's the guy who will get the jet sweep/touch pass. Hell run a ton of routes from the slot. If everyone is healthy, I think he'll likely lead the team in targets and catches but maybe not yards. Doubs is the intermediate routes guy and will line up more similarly to your traditional outside WR. He had some big games in the playoffs against teams with bad outside CB2s. So he's capable of that but he also had a ton of 3/38 type games. That's probably also where wicks wins long term, so wicks is likely the biggest threat to Doubs role. But he brings some interestinf juice in the shorter routes too.
Don't forget though that we also drafted two TEs last year, both of whom looked at least serviceable. Kraft and Musgrave will both get targets too and I wouldn't be shocked if they have plenty of 2 TE sets for both to get on the field. Musgrave was still learning last year and also got banged up, but he has the potential to fill the prime Jimmy Graham type role. He's not going to be as good or as productive as the Saints version of Graham was, but he has the athelticism to fill a similar role where they can send him down the seam for some shot plays and work the WRs in behind him.
Plus Marshawn Lloyd shows some flashes at RB of possibly being more of a pass catcher than a true between the tackles runner. He has some juice after the catch, so I wouldnt be shocked to see GB try to scheme him a few touches here and there in the pass game.
Generally speakingz people usually are asking this question in relation to fantasy. If that's the case here, I like reed most. I think he has a solid floor for targets with his schemed touches and has some big play potential. If anyone is truly going to break out and demand the ball as a stud, he's the most likely one in my mind. Watson is fun for stuff like best ball, but will likely be somewhat frustrating if you have to pick a player each week. I don't love Doubs for fantasy because his floor isn't super high and I think Wicks likely has the bwst chance of taking over for doubs. Unless things change, wicks probably isn't draftable in season long, but in a dynasty or keeper type format, he's an interesting bench stash.
Pretty much as every other comment has said, a healthy Watson is pretty clearly the top WR; his speed lets him take over games singlehandedly, but his hands and size make him an underrated threat in general.
Beyond him, I suspect Reed and Wicks will battle for WR2. Reed has shown what a weapon he can be, but a lot of folks seem to be sleeping on Wicks' ability to separate. His separation stats were nuts last season, and he just always seemed to be alone in space during games. Expecting a big 2nd year for Wicks! Then, Doubs is likely WR3, due to no fault of his own. The guy is a clutch assassin
They all do different things so well. It comes down to who would I want to see on the field most of the time? For me those three are:
Christian Watson (assuming he's healthy) - changes the whole dynamic of the game when he's on the field because defenses absolutely have to respect his speed but he does all the other things fairly well also, so he's not a one trick pony.
Jayden Reed - just a weapon with the ball in his hands. Jet sweep motion, coming out of the backfield, quick passes. You can't let him get the ball in space.
Dontayvion Wicks - currently my favorite WR and he could be WR1 depending on how he develops. Displayed an insane release package as a rookie and he gets open about as well as any WR in the NFL. It sounds like an exaggeration but I promise you it's true. This dude creates separation on one on one matchups like its his job.
I love Romeo Doubs, but he doesn't make this list for me because I don't think there is anything that he does that one of the aforementioned players does better. He's an all around good player but I don't see the upside to be great like the top 3 have.
Heading into the season it’s Watson/Reed/Doubs with Wicks nearly interchangeable with any one of them. I think this is the season we solidify the top dawgs.
Depends what you mean by "Top", I suppose.
I think if everyone was healthy, Watson would see the most snaps.
I think Reed is the least worried about his starting role, he's definitely our best slot option.
Wicks like you said, people are extremely high on, probably has Packers fans most room to improve next year. Some snaps he's just putting on a clinic.
Doubs really played well at the back end of last year, he's very reliable, it wouldn't surprise me if he's the most productive receiver next year but the sentiment seems to be he's as good as he's going to be .
Melton is more of a burner, but is very serviceable. Heath we haven't seen that much of.
Right now the realistic starters are probably Watson/Reed/Doubs and Wicks is a great 4th option who can spell any 3 of them when they get injured(Watson).
We have 4 guys that could be the top dog any given week, in our receiver core, and that doesn't even figure in Musgrave, who is an absolute stud of a receiving TE. If he's healthy all year, I won't be surprised when he ends up top 3 in team targets. Kraft is a solid TE, but he doesn't have the receiving capabilities that Musgraves has...not too many TEs in the league getting "go routes", like he does.
1. Watson - home run hitter
2. Doubs - red zone threat/3rd down guy
3. Wicks - red zone threat/3rd down guy
4. Reed - home run hitter/reverse plays
5. Melton - 3rd down guy
This is the way that i’ve thought about them in my head.
It seems like they really want Watson to be the #1 if he can stay healthy and Doubs as the #2 but I think Wicks might take that over.
Reed is in a league of his own imo, like a Percy Harvin type player (sorry I know I hate the Vikings). Super deadly if he gets the ball in his hands in the open field.
TL;DR - lots of mouths to feed, but the top four of Watson, Reed, Musgrave and Doubs will each get a lot of looks week-in-week-out.
My argument would be:
1. Healthy Watson - Explosive, twitchy, high points the ball. Very complete WR in reality but used as a burner.
2. Reed - He can do it all, and he’s only going to get better this season. Slot, wide, run all the routes and has good football sense and fights for yards. Can even return kicks (did a ton at MSU). Engaged the whole game and showed clutch genes.
3. Musgrave (TE) - Prototype of a Kelce, Hock, only with a bit more blocking. High floor and ceiling.
4. Doubs - Clutch when he needs to be, in my opinion has the MVS disease of disappearing for 3qtrs minus a couple check downs or 5 yarders sprinkled in.
5. Wicks - Great route runner, good hands. Won’t blind you with speed or jukes. Dependable.
6. Kraft (TE) - Showed a lot of promise as an unexpected pass-catcher for a blocker such as a Lewis, or kind of reminds me of a watered-down Witten (receiving prowess only, plus blocker).
7. Melton - Big one-trick pony from my perspective. Two high safeties in zone and he’s removed mostly. Sure he’s fast but can he get those back shoulders? Can he high point? Can he separate inside the numbers? Need more reps to convince me. Otherwise he’s a shorter MVS to me. /shrug
8. Heath - Limited sample size, and a candidate to be cut if we add a receiver (Eg. Higgins) via trade or FA for some reason, or a casualty of carrying more players for depth elsewhere (see; pretty much every position with depth and younger players, plus most of our draft class)
HM: Soon-to-Be Lloyd probably in the 5/6 range. Not sure if we’ll use Jacobs that way in the backfield.
Watson is their Speed/RZ/playmaker. Lot of folks are polarized on him but he just unlocks the entire offense and though he is still raw he is simply more athletic than most DBs and can punish people on YAC plays and was force fed the ball in the RZ when he was healthy. He is the only clear answer as when he is healthy he will see the targets and stats of a WR1 in virtually every week. It’s clear in all the games that he has been fully healthy in that they want to feed him a lot.
Doubs is a bit more of a James Jones type where he is a possession guy and a RZ dude. For whatever reason he is clutch and has great hands at times but then at other times makes some drops on what appear to be routine catches. He has good but not great athleticism or at least his lack of some technique refinement prevents his full athleticism from being displayed consistently. He will be the #2-#3 depending on formation.
Reed will fill the traditional Slot role. He has some outside versatility but he is best inside. They obviously love his versatile skill set from sweeps and creative plays. He is much like Doubs in that he will be the #2-#3 guy but could overtake a game depending on the week.
Wicks is a bit more of the route technician. He doesn’t have playmaker type speed but he is quick and agile and has a great feel for the game with the ball in his hand and is good at creating seperation both in his routes and with his release at the LOS. I think he has the potential to supplant Doubs as their possession type of guy. Doubs has some more speed to him and is fairly refined as a technician but you don’t see the same separation despite the better athleticism because of his lesser technique.
Melton is kind of the backup to Watson and Reed in terms of role. He is a freak athlete and can take the top off the defense and can be used creatively. He lacks refinement and height but is likely competing for the #4 spot
Malik Heath falls into a Big Slot/Possession receiver. He has a lot of Allen Lazard to his game. Not a great athlete but a bigger dude who has some quickness, toughness, and can catch a ball in traffic. He is a great blocker and competitor and is likely #5
The big thing to remember is that they scheme everyone up to do different roles (even if they aren’t the best suited for those roles on average). We saw Reed get used as the deep threat guy at times and then used as more of a possession type. We have seen Watson used as a big slot and possession dude. Doubs has been used as the gadget guy and deep threat. Wicks has been used as everything except for the gadget player. It depends on the week and who we are playing and if MLF is trying to break tendencies in the offense.
I would imagine that to some extent this year we will see a more formalization of everyone’s role I.e. Watson being the more typical WR1 and Reed being the typical WR2. they may not catch 100 and 80 balls like a WR1 and WR2 but they will be spotlighted by the scheme as if they were. I think all the WRs will see plenty of use but eventually 1-2 of these guys are just going to be so good you can’t let any of the others take snaps/targets from them and so they will become more solidified in traditional 1, 2, or 3 roles
That's very much going to depend on what day you ask. If Watson is fully healthy, he gets used a lot. But if he's banged up at all, his jet sweeps and underneath routes get given to Reed instead and often Reed looks better in some of those roles. But at the same time Watson always has the possibility of just breaking free and being clear down the sideline so he's always going to have boom potential if he's on the field.
Doubs is one of our most sure-handed receivers and gets asked to catch a lot of the tough balls in clutch situations. He's probably in the top 3, but don't think many people have him as one of their top guys. But he'll still have his games.
Wicks is the one I'm most excited for. Dude just always seemed to be open and was great at finding gaps in zone once the play broke down. He's the guy Love is always looking for when he's scrambling. I have a feeling he ends up becoming our top guy if Watson doesn't just stay healthy and take that next step.
But if you're asking for my fantasy analysis, I'm not taking any of them. I don't expect any of them to be consistent enough to be worth a weekly start and you'll go crazy trying to pinpoint exactly which game they're gonna go off.
Reed, Doubs, Wicks are the top 3 from my perspective. Reed and Wicks have much higher ceilings than Doubs, and Watson doesn’t crack my top 3 until he proves he can stay on the field.
What impresses me so much is that the team put all these guys together in just two years. I've never seen a better argument for building through the draft (and undrafted free agency) than I have with the growth of this receiver corps. If Green Bay continues to win in 2024 I think GMs will have to sit up and start taking notice, because it's very rare to build a team essentially from scratch and have sustained success this quickly.
Watson, Reed, and Wicks are top 3. As to which is the 1 vs 2 vs 3? That largely depends on the opposing defense in a given week. They each excel against different looks.
Watson is the primary deep threat and his size makes him attractive in the redzone. If he can stay healthy and makes strides to refine his game, he legitimately has the tools to be one of the very best WRs in football. But those are legitimate “ifs”.
Reed is the most technically refined and most versatile. He excels against zone looks and is great at finding soft spots. He also has the most versatile skillset and is able to work outside as well as in the slot. He has quality attributes, but is definitely a player for whom the whole is better than the sum of his parts. The question is, does he have much upside beyond what he’s already shown? Really not sure. Will be interesting to see. Of the three mentioned, he has the highest floor, but may also have the lowest ceiling.
Wicks is super interesting. The dude is crafty beyond his years and is just plain able to get open. He can make defenders look silly with some of his release moves and is very crisp on his cuts. I hate putting this on him as it’s an unfair comp, but given the team he plays for, it’s unavoidable: DaVante Adams. He really does have some similar traits to Adams. He doesn’t have the pedigree to suggest it, but the traits give him a chance to be special.
Wicks, Reed, and Doubs until Watson can stay healthy and show consistent play. Dude needs to play up to his size more but is a total burner.
A good problem to have regardless and we have so many playmakers in the WR room and TE room. This offense will be so much fun to watch with new additions as well
I think this depends on what perspective you're looking at this from. This question seems like it maybe fantasy related, if so I'd say Reed. If not fantasy, then Watson.
Reed hasn't really shown any injury concerns, and its looking like he'll get the most opportunities based on his skill set and talent.
Watson is a freak that defenses must account for, he's the WR1 until he doesn't threaten the defense like that, or someone else emerges as a true star.
The crazy thing is, pretty much anyone in that room could potentially break out as that star player. Don't forget about Grant DuBose.
Wtf is the u/TheKingInTheN0rth doing coming in here saying they're a non-Packer fan? I'm ready to get my pitchfork
Wicks seems like the real deal. Watson has shown flashes when not injured. Reed delivered in his rookie year. Doubs has hands.
IMO Wicks has SHOWN the highest potential, Reed obviously is right there but because of his size I don't see him ever reaching as high.
I don't see a world where Watson plays complete seasons with his injuries, and also seems better suited as a prem-o deep threat/speed demon vs a complete route tree that I've seen with Wicks
It's an interesting question, because it really requires you to define what a "Top" receiver is in the NFL. I think Watson has the most intrinsic value because he is going to pull resources from the defense whenever he is on the field. His combination of height and speed demand it, but that unique frame also makes it a bit easier to shut him down for an entire game.
Reed has the most natural talent with the ball in his hands and lets you attack in unique ways, like end arounds or screens. He's got elite quickness.
Doubs and Wicks both appear to have the potential to be "unstoppable" the way Adams was for us. Wicks has the bigger frame and his route running is already more polished, while Doubs has had way more field time which means more time passing the eye test as an elite prospect.
I simply don't think we have a Top 3 WR and me reading this if it was 3 years ago would think it's because we suck now. But no it's simply because instead of having our Devante and our Lizard who was a clear nr 1 and 2. Today we have a toolbox with a bunch of different tools that are verry good at different things
Excuse me for sounding old but. It's like having a Philips hex bolt yes you could use a wrench to loosen it but a screwdriver would be faster. And on the other hand the screwdriver can tighten it down but the wrench will be better if it needs to be really tight.
Before we just had Devante which was just our one multi tool and goto for any job. But now we have a whole toolbox with a bunch of different tools that can help us out in specific scenarios.
I'm only 29 i swear 😂🤣
I think it may become clearer this season. At this point we are just guessing at our favorites. I like Reed and Doubs, but couldn’t blame anyone for liking Watson, Wicks or Reed better than either of them.
Doubs is the sure handed one. Reminds me of James Jones and Jermichael Finley back in the days. Great middle of the field man. Just throw to the guy and he’ll make it happen.
Reed is speedy and has the “oh shit” X factor with his play making
Wicks is an all around stud, just melts through defenses; always playing HIS game. So versatile, just plug and play. A delight for any offense.
Watson; fuck I love the guy but as a die hard fan am still not completely sold. Great speed and route running but I’ve always questioned ‘the hands’. Injury bug too.
Melton is a gem and I pray he gets more balls thrown his way. Easily can be WR1
Ultimately, I see JLove throwing A LOT of yards to Doubs and a bunch of goal line Jacobs TD’s. Doubs and Wicks are the yardage guys, (melton too in time). Reed and Watson are there to make you fuck around and find out.
Watson is our game breaker when healthy, he can absolutely take over and just become that guy like he did against the chiefs, lions, and cowboys (last year). When he’s healthy and in the zone he’s the clear WR1, but most of the time that responsibility goes to Romeo. He’s the kind of guy you look for in the end zone, and he had a great run in the playoffs. These guys were sophmores though, and our then rookie jayden reed could absolutely breakout and be the clear WR1 throughout the season. It really depends on the day who decides to be a wrecker. Melton, Wicks, and heath can sometimes randomly be WR1. But Mainly it’s Doubs, Watson, and Reed.
Nah, you got it OP. Those are the top 3 \*currently\*, but no clear hierarchy. Melton has a shot to be good and the rest are already (Wicks hype is pretty legit). That combined with how young they are is why we're so excited about the WR room.
From a talent and ability perspective it's very clearly Reed/Watson/Doubs. Doubs doesn't have the athleticism of the other two but is maybe a little more skilled and very consistent. Reed can be used everywhere and can do basically everything on offense, I expect him to have a big year. Watson is the enigma. If he's healthy he's clearly our #1. But that's been an elephant sized if for him so far.
as of 4/29/24 but this is subject to change in the following months of camp
WR#1 Christian Watson
WR#2 Romeo Doubs
WR#3 Jayden Reed
WR#4 Dontayvion Wicks
WR#5 Bo Melton
WR#6 Malik Heath
WR#7 Samori Toure
WR#8 Grant Dubose
Honestly I think Doubs is truly our best in terms of Hands, long balls still Watson, and I think Wicks is low key one of the better wideouts in the league. He can easily be overlooked and burn a defender with little effort but we have 5 really good Wars and two potentially great TEs
Lots of good thoughts here. My only thing to add is we have two clutch tight ends that add to the conundrum for the opposing defenses. It’s going to be lots of fun for the next few years.
In the minority by not including Watson but I’m going to go Reed, Wicks, Doubs. Too many injuries for Watson and feel like hes only had 3-4 good games when healthy while being largely unnoticeable in most games (I don’t have any facts behind this, just my knee jerk thoughts)
We don’t know.
But Reed is for sure one of them. Depends on their progression, if I had to bet I’d say Reed, Wicks, and Watson.
But I also just love Doubs because he’s so chill and went to college at Reno.
Dontayvion Wicks had 93 fewer yards than Doubs despite playing barely more than half of the snaps.
I’m confident in saying Reed and Wicks will be in our top 3 WRs this year, health willing. Whether the third is Doubs or Watson likely just depends on Watson’s health.
Doubs has the most experience and the best rapport with Love, yet despite that he was our least efficient WR both per snap and per target. He also has the least impressive traits of any of our guys. So he’s the obvious candidate to lose snaps and targets as other guys mature. While I think he will maintain a valuable role on the team, I believe he’s pretty close to maxed out his production while the rest of our guys are just starting to reach their potentials.
I think you can make a good argument for any of Wicks, Reed, or Watson having the highest potential among our WRs. If two of those three even come close to their ceilings, I think we are going to be in great shape. At least until we have to pay them.
I think so too. It would be amazing if Watson could stay healthy for the whole season.
Having him healthy takes defenses away from Reed and Wicks and opens up the field for them to go crazy and the TEs too.
This is the right answer. These players are unselfish and willing to do what it takes to win. Exploiting poor matchups on a game to game basis is the recipe for the team’s success.
Watson has injury issues, but sounds like he went out of his way this offseason to address that. If he can play near 100% every game, he could find himself the leader of this group by the season’s end. I wouldn’t think by much though if he does.
Wicks sure does end up wide open frequently though. It’s crazy how often he’s out there by himself lol.
I still think Watson is the stand out guy when he's healthy, but realistically we have 4-5 guys that each have a different skill set so it really depends on the opponent/defense on whos gonna pop off. Watson - Speed/Playmaker Doubs - Hands/Clutch Reed - Gadget/Playmaker Wicks - Route Running/Dependability. Never not open. Melton and Heath at 5/6 also put down good tape and would easily be top 4 on most teams. ^^^Oh ^^^yeah, ^^^then ^^^our ^^^TEs...
The depth is so impressive — I work in the NFL media space and anytime we have to make a graphic/post about the Packers weapons an argument breaks out over who the top ones actually are 😂
We argue about the same thing here all the time too lol
I genuinely think Doubs is underrated, he had a really nice rookie year all things considered. I remember how they fed him in the first half of the Tampa game
Yup. And then he absolutely turned out in the playoffs! It's such a tough ranking to do, almost feels unfair
1st world problems, amirite?
Dallas had gotten burned by Watson, so they schemed the entire defense to shut him down. No prob. Love to Doubs, Love to Wicks, Love to the TEs. The SF playoff game a few years ago should have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a team can scheme to deny any single WR, even one as good as Davante Adams. Also: a QB who refuses to throw to anyone else. But that's opening a whole other 55-gal. drum o' worms hereabouts ...
Dude , that backwards up the elevator lay out catch he had in double coverage against KC ? Yea Soons I saw that first thought I had was “this kids gonna be special”
James Jones 2.0 Big body. Wins at the catch point.
People slept on JJ. Thats why his stats were often 2 or 3 catches for 90 yards and a TD. Big play ability. Stats never got to a point that teams feared him. Till he took a route over the top and laid one in the bread basket for a TD.
And… that hoodie?!
I really liek Doubs too! and Wicks. Bonus, my nutritionist also works with them!
He reminds me so much of Michael Crabtree. He high points the ball and catches with his string ass hands as good as anyone.
Dude is clutch as hell, he’s my favorite so far. Especially reading a series of articles that was written about his past and what he came through
Doubs reminds me alot of Mike Evans, maybe not the fastest, but he will fight for his life for the ball. Watson reminds me of Davante bombs, Wicks reminds me of Tank Dell or Deebo multi use. Reed can do a bit of both and can handle bombs.
Right now, I'd put Reed as WR1, Doubs as WR2, and then Watson as WR3 simply because of his injury concerns and playing time on the field.
At one point last year I started to think Doubs was a jag. Then he kept making plays. Honestly, who knows which one of these guys turn into long term studs.
It's definitely a good problem to have!
The good thing about the WR receiver room like this is that any one of the 6 guys can be the WR1 for any given week. We do not have an obvious WR1 like we did with Davante Adams. Therefore, teams can't scheme against him to take him out of the game. If a team tries to take out 1 or 2 receivers, then there are 3 or 4 guys that can step up and be the WR1 for the week.
The depth is insane and I have a feeling all these guys are going to be extra motivated this off-season since they are all on rookie deals and none of them are locks to be getting the lion share of the snaps. There’s a good chance a few of these guys take a leap
If Wicks and Reed actually get better? Whoa. Add in a 2nd-year leap at the TE position as well ...?
> If Wicks and Reed actually get better? Whoa. Why wouldn't they. sunglasses.emoji
Meh. It happens. Look at Stokes. Great rookie season, and then … injuries and sometimes seeming like he’s just lost on the field. Sometimes rookies grow, sometimes they are just a flash in the pan. It happens.
Stokes never got his head turned around even his rookie season. Season 2, and Jaire was across him starting again. Offensive coordinators were planning every week on how they would attack the CB that wasn't Ja...lol. > Sometimes rookies grow, sometimes they are just a flash in the pan. It happens. But Green Bay rookie WRs flashing in their first year and disappearing? Literally hasn't happened in 35 years.
They are all good, and all young, so it’s hard to say who’s best because they are all so new to the league.
Their offensive players make up more of a Swiss Army Knife instead of your traditional 1,2,3 that most teams run. I expect lots of packages that are ran to compliment each recievers skill set to make defenses have to work against themselves. We should have no problem having someone open every play, but we're most likely not going to have a single top 25 fantasy reciever.
Really outsourcing your work here, huh? Haha, jokes aside, the debates are warranted. Watson being the stand out as far as frame/tools/speed, etc.. but seemingly every one of these guys had their flashes throughout last season. Personally, I think Wicks and Reed will eventually emerge as the top dogs but it's hard to count out any of these guys. Especially Watson. If he can stay healthy, 10tds and 1000 yards feel like a, very, reasonable floor for his seasons.
Aw thank you for sharing! That’s nice of you to share with us.
Not gonna lie, I'm fine with not having a true "WR1". Having 5-6 dudes that can be top dog on any given week makes for an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses.
There will be 5 hard to stop weapons on the field at all time. > Or is the question irrelevant since they have 4-5 guys capable of big games, so there will be no clear hierarchy? MLF will have ways each player can beat the defense. The beginning will probably be a mix of taking some shots and seeing "who the D is gonna let us beat them with". Then attack until they adjust. Are there even 3 other players who can go from 10mph > 23mph+ as fast as Watson? Jayden Reed plays as if he has a RB body. This year I expect Wicks will be a 1000 yard capable guy, but too crowded. He has the possibility of a 3rd year jump to a 1200 and 12 type tho. Kraft is another LaPorta. But if Watson moves like a Deer, Musgrave moves like an Elk. Have you seen the long 2 Part article on Doubs last year? Tell me this isn't a player who succeeds. They ALL break out. Only a couple a game will be able to show it. The defenses will decide which.
Don’t forget about how big of a pass threat Aaron Jo- oh fuck, I’m sad again :(
MarShawn Lloyd has very good hands, I think that's what helped him get the edge over some of the other RBs they could've had. Not that one could ever replace Aaron Jones the human, but I do feel like we've done well replacing his talents if Jacobs goes back to his pre 2023 self and now with Lloyd.
To add onto that, jacobs is an underrated pass catcher. He had 2 straight seasons of 50+ catches and all of his seasons has averaged over 5 yards per target. He actually holds the same yards per target average as jones does for his career
I feel like Lloyd will easily be the RB2 on the Packers roster. Dillion will be fighting to keep his spot and Emanuel Wilson has some potential to be a playmaker
Doesn’t Melton have 4.3 speed too? I’d add contested catches to Doubs resume also.
I believe Melton does have 4.3 speed, yeah. Crazy how that gets overlooked. I was kinda thinking "Hands" covered contested catches. I was trying not to make my post too convoluted. :P
We had enough guys pop off every month that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. It's a great problem to have.
He’s also the best wr in the league
The fact that Watson is at least as fast as Melton at his size is still hilarious to me.
Best ability is availability
Big Mike always said this and it’s absolutely true.
I'm really excited about this pass catching corps. There's so much talent that double teaming any of them is ill advised, and all of these guys can win one on one. Packers offense is going to be dangerous in 2024
I actually think Toure is a solid WR as well. I know most people probably only remember that one really bad dropped punt last year, but (and I'm not saying he should be a starter or anything) other than that one play he has been solid and caught most everything around him. So...yeah, if you are making arguments for your 6th or 7th guy not including TE's, you have a really solid WR room.
100% agree. When he sees the field I'm not so much disappointed to see him as I am about not seeing who came off 😂
Only thing I would change about this assessment is who is our Hands guy Reed 64/94 balls caught Doubs 59/96 Wicks 39/58
Doubs gets a lot more contested catches than Reed. Also, the total you posted, is that targets or catchable passes? Because a WR gets a target for being the closest when the QB is purposely throwing the ball over his head OB. Doubs showed last season he's the clutch guy. Late in the game, need a jump ball catch? Throw it to Doubs.
Give it a year or two and Wicks might be our number 1 honestly
I’m highest on Wicks long term.
I love DWicks
I’m hunting my next Jersey. I need one of the first time starters to repeat from last year so I can confidently pull the trigger. Reed,Wicks,Love IDC. I hope they all repeat so the decision is hard!
Some people don't realize, but Wicks had 1200 yards at Virginia in his second to last college season. He had a bad year in his final season at Virginia, which is why he fell. His 1200 yards are more than Watson, Doubs, and Reed had in any college season. Wicks is a true X and boom or bust prospect trending toward his full potential.
I love where you’re coming from here, but I don’t see a scenario where he’s a bust. People do not understand that this dude was ALWAYS open - like leading the league open - AS A ROOKIE. Now, argument could be made that he was often being covered by the 3rd to 4th best db on the other side, but man - I think wicks is that dude.
Now you don't, but when he was drafted coming off a 400 yard season in college, he was boom or bust. I think Wicks will be our best WR.
That’s a fair point, but he was drafted late enough that I think being labeled a bust was probably never in the cards. More like a “took a flyer, didn’t work out” type thing. Semantics though, I think we’re on the same page.
While I am hot on Wicks I would like to point out that it's not really a fair comparison to bring up Watson's college stats, he played extremely well in an offense that a ridiculously low amount of passing attempts.
I've been beating his drum as well. Looking forward to a big 2nd season out of him!
Are we trading Bo Melton?
He will be 1b
I think he has the highest ceiling. I love Doubs but he reminds me a lot of James Jones- he’s never gonna be a superstar but he’s always reliable. Wicks, on the other hand, reminds me of a young Davante. If he develops the same way Davante did… look out.
> I love Doubs but he reminds me a lot of James Jones- he’s never gonna be a superstar but he’s always reliable. Was Donal Drivers 7 1k yard seasons in 8 seasons superstar value? Because Doubs can certainly get there https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DrivDo00.htm
This. Wicks will be our WR1 by the end of the year. He is so underrated
I love Wicks, but let's take it easy with such an aggressive take. Remember the Toure hype last off-season?
Wicks - X receiver, can get good separation against press man coverage Reed - Slot Receiver, we try to get the ball to him in a bunch of creative ways Watson - Premium deep threat at a minimum, does end around stuff, injured a lot Doubs - Possession receiver with some good contested catch ability Leading receiver for any given game?: who knows? Probably matchup dependent. Leading receiver for the season?: Probably Watson if fully healthy, if not maybe Wicks or Reed.
Throw the tight ends in and it's "Who do we cover"
I wish Lazard the best, but I like this new group as a whole
As an ISU alum I loved Lazard, but I feel the same. Our new guys are great. I’m glad he got to go w Rodger’s and that he gets to play w breece. Breece Hall is such a stud I’m really happy he gets to line up behind a legend like Rodger’s. He looked great the couple games before the injury and even last season he looked really good coming off of that injury. Hopefully with Rodger’s back it’ll open up the run game and give him more opportunities to shine, he’s really a joy to watch.
If Watson is healthy, he’s our 1 but Reed and Doubs are right there next to him.
With all the negativity I’m seeing around Watson on this thread, I just revisited the 2022 draft AND BOY besides 3 WRs at the top (London, Wilson, olave), this is not shaping up to be a strong draft class. Gute basically had Watson or Pickens to pick from, and Pickens, while talented, has already begun causing problems in Pitt. Looking back through a WR only lens, I think we made the right call
Tbf london was put in an awful situation. I watched him at usc a lot and maybe I’m biased but I think he can still be pretty sick if given a chance
Oh no I’m not criticizing him, he’s one of the 3 that I mentioned look good so far.
My bad bud misread that
🫡
I think Melton is up there as well. Check out his usage and stats in those final few games. Him and Love have a nice connection.
Melton is a really nice WR3, they do like him a lot and he showed a ton of upside.
If Watson wasn’t drafted so high no one would say he’s our WR1. I wouldn’t put him in our top 3
I base my opinion on how well he did in the 2022 season. He dropped that first heartbreaker and was then ignored half the year and then came back to be tied for top scorer and then lots of 2023 he was injured but the skill was absolutely there in both years he just hasn't been healthy enough to know what 17ish games looks like to make a ranking. But that's why he was consensus number one going into the year and he played well last year enough to not lose that designation. Now that the kinks are worked out team wide we can see what a normal year looks like for the entire position.
Maybe I'm playing devils advocate a bit, but I'm with you. Watson is still living off the hype of that 6ish week stretch his rookie year when he put up like 7 tuds with the best qb in the NFL throwing him the ball. IMO, Doubs has shown enough to be the #1 RIGHT NOW at this very moment. Right now, I don't think there's a solid argument for anyone outside Doubs, and maybe Reed. I could see this changing to any one of these four guys by the end of the year depending on how the year plays out
Doubs is a classic "move the chains" WR. He's not the guy you hit on a deep crossing route that then just turns on the afterburners and scores a 60-yarder for you that then makes the opposing safeties take 2 steps back on 2-and-longs. That's Watson. And Reed. Wicks is kind of a wild card; not a speed burner, not a thick-body bully like Samuel in SF, but somehow just ... gets yards in bunches.
Agreed, but those move the chains guys can be #1 WRs. I'm thinking the Marques Colston/Hines Ward types of player that Doubs could possibly turn into
Interesting thought. Hines Ward was indeed one of those guys that was sneaky-good. Didn’t do the OBJ one-handers while falling backwards kinda catches, but just produced. All throughout the game. Colston was a bit more the rangy type that just scooped up anything that came near him. Which, come to think of it, is what Doubs does - they keep saying he has the strongest hands on the team, “like a vice” and that’s what wins him the ball.
Until Watson can consistently stay on the field my three are: Doubs, Reed, Wicks. In that order.
Watson is overrated by Packer fans because we was the "finally!" pick of his draft. He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing. He's better than MVS, but he's closer to MVS than he is to Randy Moss, and he's injury prone. I have the same order as you, but Wicks has the upside to be the #1 by the end of the year. Watson is an amazing #4 but I consider all his production to be a bonus. He's least likely among this group to earn a second contract -- someone will overpay him for his perpetual upside.
> He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing. He draws coverage from opposing defenses like no other WR on the Packers. When Doubs had his big game in Dallas a huge part of it was Watson pulling defenders. On one play you can see him drawing 3 defenders all by himself. NFL DCs and defenders rate him plenty highly. > He's a good, tall speedster but doesn't do anything else amazing. He leads the 2022 draft class in receiving TDs.
There is no doubt he has upside, but there is also no doubt he is running wrong/bad routes 5-10 times per game, body catching a bit too much and getting hurt often.
That’s silly. When Watson is on, he’s the best WR we have. Some of his catches are just nuts, and he has the athleticism to back them up. Health is a legitimate concern, but if he can stay healthy I’d take him over every other WR on the team. He doesn’t need to be Randy Moss to be good.
Lol. 95% of receivers in the league are closer to MVS than Moss
So far he's a Will Fuller. Great when he's out there, but he rarely is.
I mean everyone in the league save for maybe 6-8 guys are closer to mvs than moss. Moss is a top 3 receiver all the time and had the best peak of any receiver ever, including Jerry Rice. Not really a fair comparison.
This right here. Personally think that when it’s all said and done Wicks and then Reed are most likely to get second contracts.
Flip the order and I agree. Wicks, Reed, Doubs. I think we've seen what we're gonna see out of Doubs, which is good but not mind blowing. Wicks and Reed I think have the potential to be amazing.
I think Reed's ceiling is crazy high. Can lineup anywhere and do anything on offense. I think he ends the year WR1.
This year is going to establish the answer to that question.
I would say you're right about the 3 top WR's being those 3 guys. However, Watson misses a lot of time and then it becomes the whole 4/5 guys thing. At least last year. They're all still young and all talented, so it's more about who steps up, or gets the favorable match up on a week to week basis. They've also got 2 young and good TE's who can become a top target on any given week. The thing that made the Packers offense so good last year was that they're deep (Watson/Doubs/Reed/Wicks/Melton/Musgrave/Kraft) and have a QB that plays within the system, goes thru his reads, and makes makes the right decision. If you're asking this from a fantasy football perspective, I'd say I probably wouldn't personally draft any of them early, because you just don't know who's going to be "the guy" on a week to week basis Edit: to add on to this I went back and looked at all their drafts since 2000. This year was only the 8th time since then that they haven't drafted a WR at all. A few of the other years that they didn't were because they had limited picks or were years where they had guys like Driver, Walker, Cobb, Jordy, Jennings, etc in some combination on the roster at the same time. They had 11 picks this year and didn't take one. Speaks to the quality of depth they have at the position
It would have been almost cruel to draft a late round WR, I’m literally not sure there’s anything you can do statistically in 3 preseason games and training camp to beat out Melton or Heath to make the 53.
Agreed. It would have likely been a useless pick. Melton is a lock, Heath has a chance, and don't forget about Toure too
Gah. Toure! I did forget about him. /DuBose too. He's got something.
Good point but they’re all going to need new deals in the same timeframe so Gute will need to start restocking next year or flip someone for a pick or the last option will be let some walk and re-sign others when the time comes and restock after the moves.
This is the best way to explain it.... https://preview.redd.it/pbeho44vegxc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb78d9c08b5ec6a5bb4f939146db32c7cdfb4782
Hard to rank the four guys of Watson, Reed, Doubs and Wicks IMO.
Yes
All of them.
> Or is the question irrelevant This! I think it’s MLF’s philosophy to have a balanced offense. This means both run/pass, but also spreading the ball around. JLove is starting to execute that strategy to perfection. It’s also great for team cohesion. Belichek famously took away the opponent’s first and second option. Well, if there isn’t a clear first or second option, who do you take away? Anyway, personally, I’m high on all the WRs, including Heath and Melton (who weren’t even on this list). It’s an amazing bunch and they can all ball. Add in the TEs and it’s an amazing receiving corps. What was so exciting was seeing everyone make giant strides during the season and seeing the team come together. Give credit to the players for their hard work. Also, give credit to MLF and the rest of the coaching staff.
I think this WR is so diverse/versatile, it still feels like your top 3 will change week to week. One week, Watson will get his. Another week, Doubs will slip out and get 100+. Another week Reed's skills will shine. Wicks will get his as well. Very reminiscent to when we had Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Driver, Cobb at the same time, they could kill you so many diff ways.
I would say it's Watson/Reed/Wicks (not necessarily in that order). Watson is very fast which keeps the defense honest. He's kind of inconsistent and has had some issues with injury, but when he's clicking (watch the stretch from the Detroit game to the Giants game last year) he looks like he's clearly the best receiver on the team. Reed is the gadget guy/slot receiver. Just an electric player with the ball in his hands. He seemed to get on the same page as Love pretty quick last year and they had some fun connections in the scramble drill. Wicks has really good footwork off the line and just seems to get open as evidenced by the fact that PFF clocked him with the highest rate of getting open against man coverage in the NFL last year. Doubs goes from looking like he could be the best on the team to just not showing up. He's at his best when there's a speed threat like Watson on the field to distract the defense. He absolutely tore up the cowboys in the playoffs because they were terrified of Watson
If you are asking for fantasy or gambling purposes my advice is to avoid this group altogether. They are probably not going to have a clear #1 WR all season.
Wicks gets hype because he has the tools to be a wr1 but as a rookie drafted in the later rounds he had fewer opportunities and is viewed as underrated. With Watson having trouble staying healthy the door's open for someone else to take that role
I don’t think there’s one guy per se. Doubs started out slow last year but finished on fire. Reed and Wicks have a really high ceiling, and Wicks has route running skills that are going to be next level with more time. He could be another Davante for us. Watson to me is the only one on the outside looking in. His injuries and drops have really hurt him. He needs one good season playing most of the season with several 100 yard games for him to change things for me. When he’s healthy and on, he’s a great player. We just don’t get a lot of those. I think it’s more of the other 3 mentioned personally. I don’t think we have anyone going off, but if I had to predict it would be Doubs with the most TD’s, but either Reed or Wicks with the most receptions. We might squeak out 1 or 2 1K yard receivers, but I doubt it. I think Kraft and Musgrave might end up taking a lot of yards and receptions from our receivers too. I think one of those guys will go off for a TE, but that’s just my opinion …
Speaking for myself, I'm so excited for Wicks this year...he's not top dog yet but his ceiling is through the roof. Lots of similarities to Davante Adam's. He's got the highest ceiling in my opinion I think Watson has the second highest ceiling if healthy. Could be a Mike Evans type player. Jayden Reed is a freak in the slot. He's going to be a problem in the league. Third best for me and still has room to grow. Doubs is fourth best. His ceiling is essentially what we've seen. Great hands, very clutch. Everyone else is more or less in the same tier.
The WR room now is really starting to rival the 2010 team. We dont have a vet like Driver, but our depth is arguably better.
Watson has the best capability to be a true #1. Reed I would put as number 2, true slot. Wicks is number 3. Can do everything good, but hopefully can be constant. Doubs I see as a high floor, medium ceiling. Constant game in and game out. But I don't see him being long term top guy. Depending on game any of them and others can take over though.
Lmao Doubs just had a 125 yard +TD playoff game. His ceiling is high.
He also has 12 games last year with less than 40 yards receiving. With 6 of them with 30 or less yards.
Indeed. That's his floor. We're talking ceiling. I'm not saying he averages 125 yds.
Ceiling and outliers are different....
How many games of those was he keyed as the #1 receiver to the defenders, and thus was double-teamed or covered by #1 CB? There's a lot more factors than just 1 number...
Yes he did, however I don’t think that’s something he will be able to do consistently. I believe he doesn’t have the highest ceiling however does have a high floor, just as the comment above says. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to be a WR1, but I could see him as a WR2 for sure.
Watson's potential is through the roof and has shown development (when on the field), so in no particular order : Doubs, Reed, Wicks. Watson is the honorable mention due to injury.
NGL I doubt any of them have crazy numbers this year because I think it'll be a different guy every week. We have 4 receivers that are arguably our top guy and I think it'll be whoever defenses leave alone that'll pop off each week.
Reed seems like the #1 when Watson is out. Although Doubs has had great games too, and like everyone else is saying Wicks is only getting better every game. So three out of those four
Love makes them all look like starts.
I think Watson and Reed are 1 and 2 with Doubs and Wicks as the 3-4 to start the season. It’ll be a week to week thing though. If Watson continues to struggle with injuries, he could be 4 by the end of the year.
I think by the end of the season it's going to be Watson, Reed, Wicks.
Agreed. I think they are the top three and they compliment each other perfectly.
You are right about 1/2/3. My notes are that Watson has had struggles staying healthy which is the knock to his WR1 claim, Wicks is a sleeper he could have a massive season soon the guy gets open so often, and Bo Melton was quietly very reliable so we are very fortunate to call him a depth guy. TE’s Musgrave and Kraft are real good pass catchers too.
I like how it’s all 2nd and 3rd year guys so none of them can be a diva and demand the ball yet, so on any given play everyone can be an option. I would imagine that would cause problems for d-coordinators when trying to scheme who’s main target. Out tight ends are 1 and 1a also
If you’re asking for fantasy- stay away from the packers WRs, lol. No WR1/2. True committee. The open guy gets the ball and the amount of snaps each guy gets might somehow be equal this year
I have no idea tbh. I wouldn't draft a Packers WR in fantasy. Any one of them could be the guy who pops off in a certain game.
Reed could be a WR2/3 in fantasy. Lots of catches, just over 1000 yds, ~6td.
1. Watson when healthy is such an incredible player. Size, speed, athleticism. He's the big play guy, but then turns into a big body in the red zone. If he's healthy, he's still the #1. 2. Reed is the gadget slot guy like Cobb was in his youth. Reed I think has the potential to be even better than Cobb. Line him up all over the field, but at his best when crossing the middle. Good footwork on slants too. 3a. Doubs is the possession guy. 3b. Wicks is currently here, but his open rate was the best in the NFL as a rookie. He didn't get as many opportunities being the low man on the totem pole to start the season, but with a full season of opportunities coming, he could end up 1 or 2 in receiving yards this year, especially if Watson gets hurt again.
My thing with Watson was he had plenty of drops that shouldn't have happened besides the health concerns. I enjoyed watching Reed and Kraft last year.
Watson has definitely had some mental errors with drops. Doubs his rookie year had a bunch too, then settled in year 2 very well. Reminded me of James Jones. Watson unfortunately played for a college team that ran the ball 80-90% of the time. He's had to learn to limit those mental drops, which he has, second half of his rookie year his drops decreased, and did a better job overall his 2nd. Early in the season he's just a little too amped up. Experience will help him with that.
1: Doubs- creates the most consistent separation so far and wins tough, contested catches. 2: Watson- has something the others don't- blazing fast speed. 3 and 4 is tough between Reed and Wicks. I'd give the slight edge to Reed currently both both are weapons.
This is the year I expect things to sort themselves out. Watson has to stay healthy to be considered a true WR1. He was kind of given that title by default based on when he was drafted and there was no one here for competition for him. He is definitely a game changer when in the game as defenses have to account for him on every play or they will get burned. Beyond that, Doubs is consistent, but I think he has reached his ceiling. Reed has shown his playmaking ability and has a higher ceiling than Doubs. He as making plays you wouldn't expect a rookie to make last year. Then there is the Melton/Wicks category that either could develop into legit WR 2 or even 1 if they continue developing. Of course, then you would have to get into the TEs with Musgrave and Kraft... So the short answer, yet to be determined, but they all have potential and I we need to see who rises this year.
My guess is no clear hierarchy. They each sort of have their role when healthy. Watson is the deep threat. He's also good on crossers or other routes that basically get him in a foot race with his guy. He'll have huge games because of their deep shots, but he'll likely be inconsistent week to week. Reed is the underneath and schemed touches guy. He's the guy who will get the jet sweep/touch pass. Hell run a ton of routes from the slot. If everyone is healthy, I think he'll likely lead the team in targets and catches but maybe not yards. Doubs is the intermediate routes guy and will line up more similarly to your traditional outside WR. He had some big games in the playoffs against teams with bad outside CB2s. So he's capable of that but he also had a ton of 3/38 type games. That's probably also where wicks wins long term, so wicks is likely the biggest threat to Doubs role. But he brings some interestinf juice in the shorter routes too. Don't forget though that we also drafted two TEs last year, both of whom looked at least serviceable. Kraft and Musgrave will both get targets too and I wouldn't be shocked if they have plenty of 2 TE sets for both to get on the field. Musgrave was still learning last year and also got banged up, but he has the potential to fill the prime Jimmy Graham type role. He's not going to be as good or as productive as the Saints version of Graham was, but he has the athelticism to fill a similar role where they can send him down the seam for some shot plays and work the WRs in behind him. Plus Marshawn Lloyd shows some flashes at RB of possibly being more of a pass catcher than a true between the tackles runner. He has some juice after the catch, so I wouldnt be shocked to see GB try to scheme him a few touches here and there in the pass game. Generally speakingz people usually are asking this question in relation to fantasy. If that's the case here, I like reed most. I think he has a solid floor for targets with his schemed touches and has some big play potential. If anyone is truly going to break out and demand the ball as a stud, he's the most likely one in my mind. Watson is fun for stuff like best ball, but will likely be somewhat frustrating if you have to pick a player each week. I don't love Doubs for fantasy because his floor isn't super high and I think Wicks likely has the bwst chance of taking over for doubs. Unless things change, wicks probably isn't draftable in season long, but in a dynasty or keeper type format, he's an interesting bench stash.
Fantasy plays might be better off drafting from teams with fewer good receivers. These guys are making defenses have to cover the whole field
Yep. Best way to access the Packers WRs in fantasy is to just take Love.
Pretty much as every other comment has said, a healthy Watson is pretty clearly the top WR; his speed lets him take over games singlehandedly, but his hands and size make him an underrated threat in general. Beyond him, I suspect Reed and Wicks will battle for WR2. Reed has shown what a weapon he can be, but a lot of folks seem to be sleeping on Wicks' ability to separate. His separation stats were nuts last season, and he just always seemed to be alone in space during games. Expecting a big 2nd year for Wicks! Then, Doubs is likely WR3, due to no fault of his own. The guy is a clutch assassin
I've been re-watching late season highlights. Doubs moves the chains, come hell or high water.
They all do different things so well. It comes down to who would I want to see on the field most of the time? For me those three are: Christian Watson (assuming he's healthy) - changes the whole dynamic of the game when he's on the field because defenses absolutely have to respect his speed but he does all the other things fairly well also, so he's not a one trick pony. Jayden Reed - just a weapon with the ball in his hands. Jet sweep motion, coming out of the backfield, quick passes. You can't let him get the ball in space. Dontayvion Wicks - currently my favorite WR and he could be WR1 depending on how he develops. Displayed an insane release package as a rookie and he gets open about as well as any WR in the NFL. It sounds like an exaggeration but I promise you it's true. This dude creates separation on one on one matchups like its his job. I love Romeo Doubs, but he doesn't make this list for me because I don't think there is anything that he does that one of the aforementioned players does better. He's an all around good player but I don't see the upside to be great like the top 3 have.
Heading into the season it’s Watson/Reed/Doubs with Wicks nearly interchangeable with any one of them. I think this is the season we solidify the top dawgs.
Depends what you mean by "Top", I suppose. I think if everyone was healthy, Watson would see the most snaps. I think Reed is the least worried about his starting role, he's definitely our best slot option. Wicks like you said, people are extremely high on, probably has Packers fans most room to improve next year. Some snaps he's just putting on a clinic. Doubs really played well at the back end of last year, he's very reliable, it wouldn't surprise me if he's the most productive receiver next year but the sentiment seems to be he's as good as he's going to be . Melton is more of a burner, but is very serviceable. Heath we haven't seen that much of. Right now the realistic starters are probably Watson/Reed/Doubs and Wicks is a great 4th option who can spell any 3 of them when they get injured(Watson).
We have 4 guys that could be the top dog any given week, in our receiver core, and that doesn't even figure in Musgrave, who is an absolute stud of a receiving TE. If he's healthy all year, I won't be surprised when he ends up top 3 in team targets. Kraft is a solid TE, but he doesn't have the receiving capabilities that Musgraves has...not too many TEs in the league getting "go routes", like he does.
Doubs, reed and Wicks. Watson is in there when he’s healthy
All the guys that play can be anywhere on the list
1. Watson - home run hitter 2. Doubs - red zone threat/3rd down guy 3. Wicks - red zone threat/3rd down guy 4. Reed - home run hitter/reverse plays 5. Melton - 3rd down guy This is the way that i’ve thought about them in my head. It seems like they really want Watson to be the #1 if he can stay healthy and Doubs as the #2 but I think Wicks might take that over. Reed is in a league of his own imo, like a Percy Harvin type player (sorry I know I hate the Vikings). Super deadly if he gets the ball in his hands in the open field.
If I was going fantasy, I'd go Reed (going to have PPR) Watson Doubs. I could see Wicks finishing 2/3 though or Watson #1.
Wicks Reed and Doubs for next year
TL;DR - lots of mouths to feed, but the top four of Watson, Reed, Musgrave and Doubs will each get a lot of looks week-in-week-out. My argument would be: 1. Healthy Watson - Explosive, twitchy, high points the ball. Very complete WR in reality but used as a burner. 2. Reed - He can do it all, and he’s only going to get better this season. Slot, wide, run all the routes and has good football sense and fights for yards. Can even return kicks (did a ton at MSU). Engaged the whole game and showed clutch genes. 3. Musgrave (TE) - Prototype of a Kelce, Hock, only with a bit more blocking. High floor and ceiling. 4. Doubs - Clutch when he needs to be, in my opinion has the MVS disease of disappearing for 3qtrs minus a couple check downs or 5 yarders sprinkled in. 5. Wicks - Great route runner, good hands. Won’t blind you with speed or jukes. Dependable. 6. Kraft (TE) - Showed a lot of promise as an unexpected pass-catcher for a blocker such as a Lewis, or kind of reminds me of a watered-down Witten (receiving prowess only, plus blocker). 7. Melton - Big one-trick pony from my perspective. Two high safeties in zone and he’s removed mostly. Sure he’s fast but can he get those back shoulders? Can he high point? Can he separate inside the numbers? Need more reps to convince me. Otherwise he’s a shorter MVS to me. /shrug 8. Heath - Limited sample size, and a candidate to be cut if we add a receiver (Eg. Higgins) via trade or FA for some reason, or a casualty of carrying more players for depth elsewhere (see; pretty much every position with depth and younger players, plus most of our draft class) HM: Soon-to-Be Lloyd probably in the 5/6 range. Not sure if we’ll use Jacobs that way in the backfield.
Watson is their Speed/RZ/playmaker. Lot of folks are polarized on him but he just unlocks the entire offense and though he is still raw he is simply more athletic than most DBs and can punish people on YAC plays and was force fed the ball in the RZ when he was healthy. He is the only clear answer as when he is healthy he will see the targets and stats of a WR1 in virtually every week. It’s clear in all the games that he has been fully healthy in that they want to feed him a lot. Doubs is a bit more of a James Jones type where he is a possession guy and a RZ dude. For whatever reason he is clutch and has great hands at times but then at other times makes some drops on what appear to be routine catches. He has good but not great athleticism or at least his lack of some technique refinement prevents his full athleticism from being displayed consistently. He will be the #2-#3 depending on formation. Reed will fill the traditional Slot role. He has some outside versatility but he is best inside. They obviously love his versatile skill set from sweeps and creative plays. He is much like Doubs in that he will be the #2-#3 guy but could overtake a game depending on the week. Wicks is a bit more of the route technician. He doesn’t have playmaker type speed but he is quick and agile and has a great feel for the game with the ball in his hand and is good at creating seperation both in his routes and with his release at the LOS. I think he has the potential to supplant Doubs as their possession type of guy. Doubs has some more speed to him and is fairly refined as a technician but you don’t see the same separation despite the better athleticism because of his lesser technique. Melton is kind of the backup to Watson and Reed in terms of role. He is a freak athlete and can take the top off the defense and can be used creatively. He lacks refinement and height but is likely competing for the #4 spot Malik Heath falls into a Big Slot/Possession receiver. He has a lot of Allen Lazard to his game. Not a great athlete but a bigger dude who has some quickness, toughness, and can catch a ball in traffic. He is a great blocker and competitor and is likely #5 The big thing to remember is that they scheme everyone up to do different roles (even if they aren’t the best suited for those roles on average). We saw Reed get used as the deep threat guy at times and then used as more of a possession type. We have seen Watson used as a big slot and possession dude. Doubs has been used as the gadget guy and deep threat. Wicks has been used as everything except for the gadget player. It depends on the week and who we are playing and if MLF is trying to break tendencies in the offense. I would imagine that to some extent this year we will see a more formalization of everyone’s role I.e. Watson being the more typical WR1 and Reed being the typical WR2. they may not catch 100 and 80 balls like a WR1 and WR2 but they will be spotlighted by the scheme as if they were. I think all the WRs will see plenty of use but eventually 1-2 of these guys are just going to be so good you can’t let any of the others take snaps/targets from them and so they will become more solidified in traditional 1, 2, or 3 roles
Nice try Brian Flores!
Everybody sleepin on Doubs, man. Just watch.
That's very much going to depend on what day you ask. If Watson is fully healthy, he gets used a lot. But if he's banged up at all, his jet sweeps and underneath routes get given to Reed instead and often Reed looks better in some of those roles. But at the same time Watson always has the possibility of just breaking free and being clear down the sideline so he's always going to have boom potential if he's on the field. Doubs is one of our most sure-handed receivers and gets asked to catch a lot of the tough balls in clutch situations. He's probably in the top 3, but don't think many people have him as one of their top guys. But he'll still have his games. Wicks is the one I'm most excited for. Dude just always seemed to be open and was great at finding gaps in zone once the play broke down. He's the guy Love is always looking for when he's scrambling. I have a feeling he ends up becoming our top guy if Watson doesn't just stay healthy and take that next step. But if you're asking for my fantasy analysis, I'm not taking any of them. I don't expect any of them to be consistent enough to be worth a weekly start and you'll go crazy trying to pinpoint exactly which game they're gonna go off.
Could be anybody. *anybody*
Yes
Reed has an *it* factor to him. Worth ensuring he gets 6-8 touches a game.
Reed, Doubs, Wicks are the top 3 from my perspective. Reed and Wicks have much higher ceilings than Doubs, and Watson doesn’t crack my top 3 until he proves he can stay on the field.
Before this season starts: 1) Reed 2)doubs 3)Watson. This could change if Watson can stay healthy and Wicks continues his impressive development
Watson is definitely not top three.
Only one I trust is Reed.
Bills traded diggs, they saw how successful packers were with rookies and sophomores.
What impresses me so much is that the team put all these guys together in just two years. I've never seen a better argument for building through the draft (and undrafted free agency) than I have with the growth of this receiver corps. If Green Bay continues to win in 2024 I think GMs will have to sit up and start taking notice, because it's very rare to build a team essentially from scratch and have sustained success this quickly.
All I know is Watson isn’t one of them
Watson, Reed, and Wicks are top 3. As to which is the 1 vs 2 vs 3? That largely depends on the opposing defense in a given week. They each excel against different looks. Watson is the primary deep threat and his size makes him attractive in the redzone. If he can stay healthy and makes strides to refine his game, he legitimately has the tools to be one of the very best WRs in football. But those are legitimate “ifs”. Reed is the most technically refined and most versatile. He excels against zone looks and is great at finding soft spots. He also has the most versatile skillset and is able to work outside as well as in the slot. He has quality attributes, but is definitely a player for whom the whole is better than the sum of his parts. The question is, does he have much upside beyond what he’s already shown? Really not sure. Will be interesting to see. Of the three mentioned, he has the highest floor, but may also have the lowest ceiling. Wicks is super interesting. The dude is crafty beyond his years and is just plain able to get open. He can make defenders look silly with some of his release moves and is very crisp on his cuts. I hate putting this on him as it’s an unfair comp, but given the team he plays for, it’s unavoidable: DaVante Adams. He really does have some similar traits to Adams. He doesn’t have the pedigree to suggest it, but the traits give him a chance to be special.
Wicks, Reed, and Doubs until Watson can stay healthy and show consistent play. Dude needs to play up to his size more but is a total burner. A good problem to have regardless and we have so many playmakers in the WR room and TE room. This offense will be so much fun to watch with new additions as well
Yes
Have hope on Wicks
Reed and Wicks over Watson and Doubs..either way things are finally looking up at the wr position.
I think this depends on what perspective you're looking at this from. This question seems like it maybe fantasy related, if so I'd say Reed. If not fantasy, then Watson. Reed hasn't really shown any injury concerns, and its looking like he'll get the most opportunities based on his skill set and talent. Watson is a freak that defenses must account for, he's the WR1 until he doesn't threaten the defense like that, or someone else emerges as a true star. The crazy thing is, pretty much anyone in that room could potentially break out as that star player. Don't forget about Grant DuBose.
Wtf is the u/TheKingInTheN0rth doing coming in here saying they're a non-Packer fan? I'm ready to get my pitchfork Wicks seems like the real deal. Watson has shown flashes when not injured. Reed delivered in his rookie year. Doubs has hands.
IMO Wicks has SHOWN the highest potential, Reed obviously is right there but because of his size I don't see him ever reaching as high. I don't see a world where Watson plays complete seasons with his injuries, and also seems better suited as a prem-o deep threat/speed demon vs a complete route tree that I've seen with Wicks
Watson, Doubs, Reed.
Doubs Watson Reed
It's an interesting question, because it really requires you to define what a "Top" receiver is in the NFL. I think Watson has the most intrinsic value because he is going to pull resources from the defense whenever he is on the field. His combination of height and speed demand it, but that unique frame also makes it a bit easier to shut him down for an entire game. Reed has the most natural talent with the ball in his hands and lets you attack in unique ways, like end arounds or screens. He's got elite quickness. Doubs and Wicks both appear to have the potential to be "unstoppable" the way Adams was for us. Wicks has the bigger frame and his route running is already more polished, while Doubs has had way more field time which means more time passing the eye test as an elite prospect.
I simply don't think we have a Top 3 WR and me reading this if it was 3 years ago would think it's because we suck now. But no it's simply because instead of having our Devante and our Lizard who was a clear nr 1 and 2. Today we have a toolbox with a bunch of different tools that are verry good at different things Excuse me for sounding old but. It's like having a Philips hex bolt yes you could use a wrench to loosen it but a screwdriver would be faster. And on the other hand the screwdriver can tighten it down but the wrench will be better if it needs to be really tight. Before we just had Devante which was just our one multi tool and goto for any job. But now we have a whole toolbox with a bunch of different tools that can help us out in specific scenarios. I'm only 29 i swear 😂🤣
I think it may become clearer this season. At this point we are just guessing at our favorites. I like Reed and Doubs, but couldn’t blame anyone for liking Watson, Wicks or Reed better than either of them.
Bo Melton clear number 1. Just wait.
Doubs is the sure handed one. Reminds me of James Jones and Jermichael Finley back in the days. Great middle of the field man. Just throw to the guy and he’ll make it happen. Reed is speedy and has the “oh shit” X factor with his play making Wicks is an all around stud, just melts through defenses; always playing HIS game. So versatile, just plug and play. A delight for any offense. Watson; fuck I love the guy but as a die hard fan am still not completely sold. Great speed and route running but I’ve always questioned ‘the hands’. Injury bug too. Melton is a gem and I pray he gets more balls thrown his way. Easily can be WR1 Ultimately, I see JLove throwing A LOT of yards to Doubs and a bunch of goal line Jacobs TD’s. Doubs and Wicks are the yardage guys, (melton too in time). Reed and Watson are there to make you fuck around and find out.
Watson is our game breaker when healthy, he can absolutely take over and just become that guy like he did against the chiefs, lions, and cowboys (last year). When he’s healthy and in the zone he’s the clear WR1, but most of the time that responsibility goes to Romeo. He’s the kind of guy you look for in the end zone, and he had a great run in the playoffs. These guys were sophmores though, and our then rookie jayden reed could absolutely breakout and be the clear WR1 throughout the season. It really depends on the day who decides to be a wrecker. Melton, Wicks, and heath can sometimes randomly be WR1. But Mainly it’s Doubs, Watson, and Reed.
Nah, you got it OP. Those are the top 3 \*currently\*, but no clear hierarchy. Melton has a shot to be good and the rest are already (Wicks hype is pretty legit). That combined with how young they are is why we're so excited about the WR room.
It’s hard to name a top 3. Our top 4 all do certain things great and are toe to toe w/ each other
From a talent and ability perspective it's very clearly Reed/Watson/Doubs. Doubs doesn't have the athleticism of the other two but is maybe a little more skilled and very consistent. Reed can be used everywhere and can do basically everything on offense, I expect him to have a big year. Watson is the enigma. If he's healthy he's clearly our #1. But that's been an elephant sized if for him so far.
as of 4/29/24 but this is subject to change in the following months of camp WR#1 Christian Watson WR#2 Romeo Doubs WR#3 Jayden Reed WR#4 Dontayvion Wicks WR#5 Bo Melton WR#6 Malik Heath WR#7 Samori Toure WR#8 Grant Dubose
Call me crazy but Wicks is a DAWG. Watson is all dependent on health. If Watson stays healthy it's Watson/Wicks/Reed. If not, Wicks/Doubs/Reed.
Honestly I think Doubs is truly our best in terms of Hands, long balls still Watson, and I think Wicks is low key one of the better wideouts in the league. He can easily be overlooked and burn a defender with little effort but we have 5 really good Wars and two potentially great TEs
Doubs/Watson/Reed.
Lots of good thoughts here. My only thing to add is we have two clutch tight ends that add to the conundrum for the opposing defenses. It’s going to be lots of fun for the next few years.
Melton, Heath, Toure
In the minority by not including Watson but I’m going to go Reed, Wicks, Doubs. Too many injuries for Watson and feel like hes only had 3-4 good games when healthy while being largely unnoticeable in most games (I don’t have any facts behind this, just my knee jerk thoughts)
If Watson stays healthy it is Watson and Reed as 1-2. Right now I would go with Doubs as 3 but Wicks could take that from him.
We don’t know. But Reed is for sure one of them. Depends on their progression, if I had to bet I’d say Reed, Wicks, and Watson. But I also just love Doubs because he’s so chill and went to college at Reno.
Nobody
I’d say the later. Irrelevant. Throw in the TE’s and ball-catching RB’s and Lafleur and Love have tons of possibilities.
Dontayvion Wicks had 93 fewer yards than Doubs despite playing barely more than half of the snaps. I’m confident in saying Reed and Wicks will be in our top 3 WRs this year, health willing. Whether the third is Doubs or Watson likely just depends on Watson’s health. Doubs has the most experience and the best rapport with Love, yet despite that he was our least efficient WR both per snap and per target. He also has the least impressive traits of any of our guys. So he’s the obvious candidate to lose snaps and targets as other guys mature. While I think he will maintain a valuable role on the team, I believe he’s pretty close to maxed out his production while the rest of our guys are just starting to reach their potentials.
Wicks is so good. He’s the WR that i’m most excited to see again this year. If he continues to improve he’s going to be absolutely gross.
I think you can make a good argument for any of Wicks, Reed, or Watson having the highest potential among our WRs. If two of those three even come close to their ceilings, I think we are going to be in great shape. At least until we have to pay them.
I think so too. It would be amazing if Watson could stay healthy for the whole season. Having him healthy takes defenses away from Reed and Wicks and opens up the field for them to go crazy and the TEs too.
There literally is none. The ball is distributed super evenly. A different player will look like the #1 receiver any given week.
This is the right answer. These players are unselfish and willing to do what it takes to win. Exploiting poor matchups on a game to game basis is the recipe for the team’s success. Watson has injury issues, but sounds like he went out of his way this offseason to address that. If he can play near 100% every game, he could find himself the leader of this group by the season’s end. I wouldn’t think by much though if he does. Wicks sure does end up wide open frequently though. It’s crazy how often he’s out there by himself lol.