Christian Watson, 2023 Outlook: Should Thrive As Green Bay’s WR1
2 years agoChristian Watson's rookie season was underwhelming from Weeks 1-9, as he was relegated to both a 29.9% snap share and a 7.0% target share. However, Watson established his ability to operate as a downfield weapon from Weeks 10-12 while averaging a league-high 22.9 points per game. He also erupted for a league-best six touchdowns and finished among the top six in receiving yards (265/88.3 per game), air yards (346) yards after catch (94), and yards per route run (3.53). This propelled him to 10th overall in air yards (788), and air yards share (38.9%), from Weeks 10-18, while he also finished second in yards per route run (3.60), and sixth in targets per route run (35.6%). The exodus of Aaron Rodgers will launch Jordan Love under center, and the former first-round selection will spearhead an aerial attack that has experienced a transformation at wide receiver and tight end. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb have joined Rodgers in New York, which has extracted the tandem from the equation. This has positioned Watson to function as Green Bay's WR1, even though he will compete with Romeo Doubs for that distinction. The Packers also invested a second-round pick on Jayden Reed during the recent NFL Draft, and the newcomer's role should expand during his rookie season. However, the presence of Doubs and Reed should not deter you from targeting the 24-year-old Watson as a WR2 in dynasty startups and a high-end WR3 in best ball leagues.