The Green Bay Packers have a brand new feel to their team this season as Christian Watson looks to be a big part of that this year. Watson’s rookie season didn’t start with a bang, as Watson would deal with injuries and a slow start to the beginning of his career. Things would pick up toward the middle of the season. Fantasy managers caught glimpses of what Christian Watson could be in the middle of the season when he cooked the Dallas Cowboys secondary for 107 receiving yards and three touchdowns. But heading into the 2023 season, Watson looks to be the number-one target for new quarterback Jordan Love, who starts his first season as the new quarterback for the Packers. If what we saw last season was just the beginning for Watson, we could be on the lookout for a much bigger season from Watson this year.
Current ADP
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ADP – 54
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WR ADP – #WR24
Watson’s draft price this season puts him around the fifth round. Coming off of draft boards as the 24th wide receiver selected places him just inside the top 25 wide receivers, making him a fringe WR2 for fantasy. Per Fantasy Football Calculator, Watson’s 5.02 draft price puts him in league with other wide receivers like Chris Godwin, Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, and Brandon Aiyuk. Making a selection from these guys may not be difficult, considering that Watson could see a large target share than some of the names mentioned. The Packers’ offense is changing hands this season with Aaron Rodgers now in New York with the Jets, and Jordan Love has shown some glimpses of competent play, but the “new-look” offense may have more questions than answers. Watson is a play for managers willing to take the gamble on his upside in a new offense instead of hoping to get more production from receivers with changes in their situations this year.
Fantasy Insight
We need more buzz around Christian Watson . For real. @KurtBenkert @UpAndAdamsShow pic.twitter.com/02ik7qxj1U
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) August 16, 2023
There should be more hype surrounding Christian Watson coming into the new season. While there’s reason to be leery of the new quarterback/wide receiver being a bit unproven as a tandem, Watson allowed us to see what it could be like if he takes his game to the next level. From Weeks 10-13, Watson was the WR3 averaging 24.8 FPPG with seven touchdowns over that span. Watson admittedly started his rookie year slow but a full bill of health and a new quarterback that will be throwing the ball to stay in games as he learns the ropes needs a pass-catching group to lean on. Watson comes in at 6’4”, 208 lbs, and looks to be the leader of the Packers’ new receiver group. Not only that but Watson boasts big-play ability. During his rookie season, Watson averaged 14.9 y/r overall and a whooping 20.9 over that aforementioned four-game streak mentioned earlier. Watson also had 14 targets in the RedZone and five in the EndZone last season, leading the Packers’ young wide receiver group. Watson has the ability and barring health, we may get to see more of it this coming season.
Fantasy Value
Watson heads into the 2023 season with expectations, but there’s a fair share of fantasy “side-eyes” also coming his way. I mean, it’s to be expected, right? We got such a small sample size last season that it might not be enough to go on as fantasy managers have more players to choose from with larger fantasy resumes. But that shouldn’t be the reason why fantasy managers should stay away from him. Watson is coming off boards at a reasonable price and if you can build your team right, you can take advantage of his fantasy value. Watson has the upside and big play ability that could launch him into the high-end WR2/backend WR1 territory. Watson also stars in an offense with plenty of volume that can go his way, especially if he remains healthy throughout the season. Watson should be in line for an increased workload now that Allen Lazard is gone and his 18.6% target share (100 targets) with him. If you’re looking for a wide receiver that presents some good upside, Watson would be a guy to target, and even more so if you have a well-built team and depth at the wide receiver position.
Christian Watson practicing pic.twitter.com/9tvc82rGKG
— Corey Behnke (@coreybehnke) August 19, 2023
Dynasty Value
Watson is an intriguing dynasty piece because we don’t have enough to go on with him yet. With just one season under his belt and only a small sample of great performances, you may not get the value you might be looking to get if you traded him. Then again, why would you want to? Watson gets a “reset” of sorts now that there’s a new quarterback in town in Jordan Love and a brand new offensive that moves on from Aaron Rodgers. If you’re thinking of moving on from Christian Watson, don’t. I have a couple of shares of Watson and in full transparency, I’ve gotten a 2025 first-round pick for him at best. I’m keeping Watson on the roster hoping that Jordan Love unlocks that talent we all saw shine through in those four weeks. Watson has the makings of a promising talent in the NFL. Fantasy managers should want to hold onto that and see how he develops before trying to ship him off.
Bold Prediction
Starting a new quarterback for the first time can come with its struggles. If you’re willing to take the chance on Christian Watson this season just make sure that you support yourself with viable talent to go along with the risk. Watson also needs to stay on the field longer than he did in the previous season. But we do know that some talent is bubbling to the surface. If you can get Watson during the fantasy draft at a cheaper price then take it. For some, drafting him as a WR2 might feel too risky based on a small sample. As I said before, back yourself up with wide receiver talent if you think it’s too risky. But should Watson tap into that talent, we could have another great fantasy prospect on our hands. The targets are up in the air for the Packers wide receivers and Watson should be able to carve out a nice role in the offense. A step forward for Watson could be nearly 1,100 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.
