X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Breakouts, Busts, and Locks - Green Bay Packers 2022 Outlook

Aaron Jones - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2022 fantasy football team preview for the Green Bay Packers. Justin's fantasy football sleepers, breakouts, busts, or safe picks on the Packers based on ADPs.

Welcome to our fantasy football Breakouts, Busts, and Locks, a series on RotoBaller where our writers look at three key players on each NFL team. Today, we're talking about the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers were able to retain Aaron Rodgers this offseason despite all the rumors over the last few years that he wanted out of Green Bay. But the team did move on from a different star player, trading Davante Adams to the Raiders.

Below, you'll find a fantasy football breakout candidate, a fantasy football bust candidate, and a safe fantasy football pick for the Packers based on early ADP for fantasy football drafts in 2022.

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Fantasy Football Breakout: Allen Lazard

This is less about Lazard and more about the dearth of options that the Packers have in the passing game.

I'll talk a little more in the next section about Sammy Watkins, but let's quickly evaluate the rest of the pass-catching options in Green Bay:

  • Randall Cobb: He'll be 32 when the season starts and he hasn't really been good in years. He's averaged 50 or more yards per game in just one of the last six seasons and last year he caught 28 passes.
  • Christian Watson: Rookie receiver, which is always hit-or-miss. He's starting camp on the PUP list, which isn't great when every rep is crucial for young players.
  • Romeo Doubs: Also a rookie, but without the same draft capital of Watson. Doubs will have a long road to snaps.
  • Amari Rodgers: Third rounder last year who caught just 20 passes as a rookie.
  • Robert Tonyan: Had one good season and might not even be ready to go for Week 1 as he recovers from a torn ACL.
  • Marcedes Lewis: He's Marcedes Lewis, which is to say that he's a decent veteran backup tight end.

Not ideal!

Lazard has the best chance of anyone on this team to turn into Aaron Rodgers' No. 1 target. And considering Rodgers has thrown 85 touchdown passes over the past two seasons and is average 4,470 yards per 17 games in that span, I'd say that "being Green Bay's No. 1 target" is a good recipe for fantasy success.

But if you want to dig deeper on Lazard, we can do that.

The undrafted Iowa State product only caught 40 passes for 513 yards last year, but he did have eight touchdown receptions. Rodgers liked to target him in the end zone, and he was actually 16th among receivers in red zone targets.

Now with Adams gone, we should still see Lazard used heavily in the red zone, but we'll also see him used in the rest of the field as well. He only saw 10 deep targets last year, per PlayerProfiler, a number that should go up simply out of necessity.

Lazard is being drafted like a fringe WR4 right now. While I definitely don't think he's going to burst out with a WR1-type season, opportunities alone should make him a WR3 with some upside weeks. It just makes no sense why everyone is low on Lazard.

 

Fantasy Football Bust: Sammy Watkins

I can understand the logic of why people might want to draft Sammy Watkins this year. He's had flashes before and he's joining a team whose quarterback is Aaron Rodgers.

But...Watkins had three seasons with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City and didn't really do much, so I'm not sure giving him Rodgers is going to do that much more.

Watkins has averaged 50-plus receiving yards per game once in the last five years, and last season in Baltimore, he averaged just 30.3 yards per game, the worst number of his career.

And before you say "but it was Baltimore" as an excuse, the 2021 Ravens ranked ninth in the NFL in pass attempts. Yes, we've gotten used to Baltimore being a run-heavy offense, but circumstances forced them to throw last year.

They just weren't throwing to Watkins. 🤷‍♂️

And considering his best season with Patrick Mahomes saw him catch 52 passes, I'm just not sure Aaron Rodgers is going to be peppering Watkins with targets. Lazard, Cobb, and the running backs will all be ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

Fantasy Football Lock: Aaron Jones

You expected Aaron Rodgers to be in this section, right? But while Rodgers has won back-to-back MVPs, he's also lost his top receiver and he's 38-years-old. There are some reasons to worry about Rodgers this season.

But Aaron Jones? No worries there.

With a weakened supporting cast, I expect to see the Packers continue to use Jones in the passing game, maybe to a greater extent than ever. He was targeted 65 times last year, catching 52 passes for 391 yards and six touchdowns. With Davante Adams gone, I expect the Packers to run more plays where the design is to get the ball into Jones' hands.

And that's not to mention the run game. Jones had his worst season since 2018 last year, carrying the ball 171 times for 799 yards with four touchdowns. But he still averaged 4.7 yards per carry, and per PlayerProfiler, ranked ninth among running backs in yards created per touch, 11th in yards per touch, and 11th in fantasy points per game.

With the Packers likely to rely even more on Jones this year in all facets of the game, his numbers should go up, even with the concern about A.J. Dillon shadowing him. Jones is currently being drafted right at the end of the RB1 tier, with FantasyPros currently having him as the RB12 in their data that combines the ADPs of popular fantasy platforms.

Drafting Jones in the late second round, which is where he tends to go, is a smart decision. Do it.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sacramento Kings

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
ANA

Mikael Granlund Moves to Anaheim on Three-Year Deal
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
NJ

Jake Allen Signs Five-Year Extension With Devils
VAN

Brock Boeser Remains in Vancouver on Seven-Year Deal
Conor Garland

Signs New Six-Year Deal with Canucks
Thatcher Demko

Signs Three-Year Extension with Canucks
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary Agrees to Seven-Year Extension with Capitals
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
MLB

Brewers-Mets Postponed on Tuesday
MLB

Tigers-Nationals Postponed on Tuesday
Zach Neto

Returns to Tuesday's Lineup
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
MLB

Padres-Phillies Postponed on Tuesday
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Hunter Goodman

Back Behind the Dish on Tuesday
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Jason Day

is a Fine Play With Limited Upside at John Deere Classic
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Luke Clanton

Looks to Have Another Strong Week at TPC Deere Run
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Sacramento Kings

Dennis Schroder Set to Join Sacramento
Bo Bichette

Out Again on Tuesday
Trent Grisham

Likely Heading to Injured List
Boston Celtics

Luke Kornet Agrees to Contract With San Antonio
Jonas Valančiūnas

Nuggets Trade for Center Jonas Valanciunas
Royce Lewis

Twins Activate Royce Lewis
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Signs Massive Extension With Oklahoma City
Corbin Carroll

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
New York Knicks

Knicks Pick Up Guerschon Yabusele
Yordan Alvarez

Could Return Early Next Week
NFL

Negotiations on 18-Game Season Not Expected Until Next Year
Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner Leaves Indiana, Signs With Milwaukee
Kerry Carpenter

Shelved with Hamstring Issue
Tyler Boyd

Steelers Have Talked With Tyler Boyd
Milwaukee Bucks

Damian Lillard Waived By Milwaukee
Darren Waller

Coming Out of Retirement to Play for Dolphins
Alexander Romanov

Islanders Retain Alexander Romanov on $50 Million Contract
Andrei Kuzmenko

Signs Up for One More Year with Kings
Morgan Geekie

Signs Long-Term Extension with Bruins
Ivan Provorov

Stays in Columbus on Seven-Year Deal
Alex Pietrangelo

Stepping Away From Golden Knights for Health Reasons
Matias Maccelli

Maple Leafs Bring in Matias Maccelli
Evan Bouchard

Inks $42 Million Contract with Oilers
Vladimir Tarasenko

Wild Acquire Vladimir Tarasenko From Detroit
Patrick Kane

Signs New One-Year Deal with Red Wings
Brad Marchand

Lands Six-Year Extension
Aaron Ekblad

Remains a Panther on Eight-Year Deal
Mitchell Marner

Heads to Vegas
Randy Arozarena

Homers Twice, Plates Four Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Trendon Watford Lands in Philadelphia
Jalen Ramsey

Could Move Around in Pittsburgh
Jonnu Smith

to be Used in Hybrid Role
Terry McLaurin

Commanders, Terry McLaurin Not Close on Contract Extension
Michael Mayer

Raiders Not Interested in Trading Michael Mayer
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF