2020 Preview: Green Bay Packers
Can Rodgers Hold off Love and win his Second Super Bowl?
The 2020 NFL Season is almost upon us, and the Fantasy Life App Blog has you covered. We’ll be previewing each of the league’s 32-teams and predictions for the 2020 season daily beginning with the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday, August 4. Check back each day for a new team preview!
Last season was a year of transition for the Packers. The Packers had missed out on the playoffs in 2018 and it was time for some changes in the front office. Mike McCarthy had to go. As impressive as his accolades were, it had been nearly 10 years since he had led the Packers to a Super Bowl. The Packers were patient with McCarthy and grateful for leadership, but with Aaron Rodgers’ career passing quickly, the Packers knew action needed to be taken. The Packers finally let go of McCarthy last season. They gave the Head Coaching gig to also offensive-minded Matt LaFleur, who had previously been the offensive coordinator for the Titans.
It didn’t take long for fans to realize that these Packers had transformed into a new and improved version in 2019. Defensive duo Za’ Darius Smith and Preston Smith led one of the league’s most feared pass rushing game, while running back Aaron Jones paced the league with a league-high 19 touchdowns. This wasn’t all though, as 2019 also was the premiere of a new Aaron Rodgers. Already a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, Rodgers became a game manager in his 15th NFL season. Rodgers led the Packers to an impressive 13–3 record and a playoff bye during the course of the regular season. It didn’t stop there as Rodgers and company made it all the way to the NFC Championship before losing to the 49ers.
If the Packers can work off their play last year, this new look Packers team could add a ring to their name. However, the Packers have stiff competition if they want to get there. Will 2020 be their year?
Off-season Moves
The 2019 off-season wasn’t so kind to the Packers. With a lot of their players headed to free agency, general manager Brian Gutekunst had to crack down and make some tough decisions. Ultimately, Gutekunst was able to keep long-time Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby along with receivers Allen Lazard and Jake Kumerow and tight end Marcedes Lewis.
However, Gutekunst and the Packers had to say goodbye to tight end Jimmy Graham (Bears), right tackle Brian Bulaga (Chargers), receiver Geronimo Allison (Lions), linebacker Kyler Fackrell (Giants), linebacker Blake Martinez (Giants), and a few others.
Gutekunst tried his best to replace these players and added another receiver to the roster in 26-year-old Devin Funchess (Colts). He also went on to the sign right tackle Ricky Wagner (Lions) to help fill the void of losing Brian Bulaga. Wagner isn’t as impactful as Bulaga, but hopefully he can still protect Rodgers and get the job done. The last major signing that Gutekunst this off-season was made to replace Fackrell. This signing dealt outside linebacker Christian Kirksey (Browns) to the Packers. Hopefully, Kirksey can add to the front seven and help the Packers once again have a great defensive season.
Some of the most surprising moves by the Packers this season didn’t come in free agency, but the NFL draft. The Packers traded up this year in the NFL draft from pick 30, while also trading away their fourth round pick as ammunition to move up four spots to get the 26th draft pick. It was expected that the Packers would go after a pass catcher to help quarterback Rodgers, but things almost seemed to go haywire when the Packers selected a quarterback in Jordan Love. With Rodgers in his 30s, the Packers have hinted at a potential quarterback switch coming in Rodgers’ latter years as Love seems to their quarterback of their future.
Many thought the Packers would jump at a receiver in the first round, so it was assumed that with their second round pick the Packers would finally go after a draft day receiver, but this pick also wasn’t a receiver. Instead, Gutekunst opted to boost the running game by drafting A.J. Dillon in the second round. Dillon is a hard-hitting, big-bodied running back, who hopes to be the thunder to Jones’ lightning in the Packers’ rushing attack.
Fantasy Impact
Every year, the Packers consist of a few fantasy stars to watch out for. The first notable player to look at is running back Jones. There are a lot of skeptics when it comes to Jones in 2020. His 2019 campaign was easily the best of his career, but it came with 19 touchdowns (16 rushing, three receiving). Fans wonder whether or not Jones is capable of producing these type of Red Zone numbers two years in a row. He still managed to rush for 1,084 yards and gain nearly 500 yards in the passing game, but without touchdowns, his season would have been a lot less influential in the fantasy football realm. In fact, Jones ended up finishing second for running backs behind Christian McCaffrey last year for fantasy points (PPR). I still think that Jones can be great with 2020, but I think his fantasy numbers will decline this year.
Rookie Dillon is a threat to a lot of the carries he got this past season because last year he didn’t have anyone to share the load with. That alone will make it tough of Jones this season, but my main concern this season about Jones is that his touchdown numbers will be almost impossible to duplicate because they can tend to be inconsistent. Overall, I think Jones will be a high-end RB2 this season for fantasy owners.
The next fantasy asset that the Packers have is Rodgers’ go-to receiver Davante Adams. Over the years, Adams has emerged as a great route runner and has been the successor to Jordy Nelson, who was formerly Rodgers’ favorite receiver. 2019 was a down year for Adams as he ultimately was injured part of the season, but 2020’s fantasy outlook is optimistic. Adams was dangerously close to 1,000 receiving yards and only recorded four receiving touchdowns in 2019, but is expected to bounce-back under his second year with coach LaFleur. Adams remains as one of the only viable targets for Rodgers with no clear cut WR2 across from him right now, which means he will be a target monster for fantasy owners. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him net more than 100 receptions in 2020. This workload should help him ascend back into a WR1 in fantasy football this season. I believe that Adams will record around 100 receptions for 1,200 receiving yards and seven touchdowns this season. If he can end up producing numbers similar to those, something he was done before, then he will end up most likely being a WR1 in fantasy. So watch-out for Adams this season!
The final player that is going to have a big impact on the fantasy football world is no other than Rodgers, himself. Rodgers has produced a plethora of terrific fantasy seasons over the years with his main weakness being simply his health and ability to stay on the field. This year, while health still remains a valid concern for Rodgers’ fantasy numbers, we also must take into account the fact that Green Bay’s offense has changed. It is now an offense that is less centered on Rodgers and forces him to manage the game. He isn’t going to simply launch deep bombs and help fantasy owners reach the promised land like how he has done in the past. Instead, he is a more of a moderate QB1 in fantasy football. Last season, Rodgers ended up finishing eighth among quarterbacks in fantasy. It is likely that Rodgers will finish close to those numbers again as his team is similar and he still doesn’t have a great WR2 that will elevate him to a Top 5 fantasy quarterback. Despite this, Rodgers ceiling remains very high as he has been the top fantasy quarterback in the past, but I’m just not buying it this season.
2020 Preview
Overall, I think the Packers still have the ability to hold off the Vikings and win the NFC North, but like last year it won’t be easy. Kirk Cousins is one of the best quarterbacks in the game alongside with Rodgers, so it will be a solid competition for the division. I do think the Packers ultimately win the division with an 11–5 record. From there, the playoffs will be no easy task, but it is one that Rodgers is familiar with. I see Rodgers’ experience willing the Packers to a victory during Wild Card weekend, but I have them losing in the divisional round. Still, another great season from Rodgers can give the Packers the opportunity to move on farther that. All-in-all, we will have to wait and see how 2020 plays out for the Packers.
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