Green Bay Packers 2016 Fantasy Outlook
Being a Packer fan has its ups and downs. I get to support a team that’s always in the playoffs with good chances to make the Super Bowl. But like every team, there are blemishes. The Packers are known for their conservative approach to things: the draft, free agency, and even play-calling. Add that with an inevitable heart-breaking playoff loss, and you’re set! However, there is more light than darkness in terms of supporting this team; but, talking about being a fan isn’t the purpose of this post. My job is to evaluate all the viable fantasy options on the Green Bay Packers. Let’s get this started!
Quarterback — Aaron Rodgers
Before I go on about how much I am enamored with Aaron Rodgers in fantasy football, I would just like to say that I’m glad he’s on my team. Aaron Rodgers has done it all for us Packer fans. He took us back to the Super Bowl, brought the Lombardi trophy back home, and even snagged a couple of MVP trophies. Last season was Rodgers’s worst season as a starter (3,821 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions). This would be a good season for most NFL quarterbacks, but it’s Aaron Rodgers, so there’s much more that he’s expected to do. Rodgers struggled without Jordy Nelson last year and Eddie Lacy’s ineffectiveness and injuries to the offensive line didn’t help either. Rodgers can only go up as he’s getting his weapons back in good from, and appears to be in tip-top condition. Head Coach Mike McCarthy had some good words in training camp about the QB: “I would say Aaron’s vibe, and really his off-season participation and performance, looks to line up for a great year. He’s in great shape. I would say this is the best shape I’ve seen him in.”
Rodgers looks to have a rebound season. A healthy and skinny Eddie Lacy, the return of Jordy Nelson, and more depth on the offensive line will allow Rodgers to get back on track.
Prediction: Aaron Rodgers finishes as the QB2 in fantasy football. All he’s got to do is stay healthy.
Running Back — Eddie Lacy
Oh, how the Internet relished Eddie Lacy’s weight! Much to my dismay, but to the delight of many, Eddie Lacy was the subject of many jokes and memes regarding his weight. It’s easy to sum up Eddie Lacy’s 2015 season. He was overweight, somewhat injured, and didn’t seem prepared to play football. Lacy posted a sub-par stat line of 758 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Even when it seemed that Lacy was getting back on track during the season, he never established consistency. However, Lacy finished the season on somewhat of a high note. The only way that Lacy can have a bounce back year is through the means of weight loss. Lacy decided to get to work this summer.
Lacy teamed up with Tony Horton, founder of the P90X fitness regimen. It’s safe to say that Lacy has shed a few pounds. His biggest critic, Mike McCarthy, even claimed that Lacy is in shape and ready. Eddie Lacy is primed for a bounce back season. His weight loss training is still a work in progress, so the results we’ve seen aren’t final. That’s fantastic news to hear as a fantasy owner. Lacy is also entering a contract year, and the pressure is on him. It’s a make or break season for Lacy, and it will be interesting to see how he responds.
Prediction: Eddie Lacy finishes as the RB10 in fantasy football. His weight loss and added depth to the O-line will set up Lacy for a big pay day come this Spring.
Wide Receivers — Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb
The biggest story for the Packers’ offense is the return of receiver Jordy Nelson. Nelson tore his ACL during a preseason game in August of last year, causing him to miss all of last season. Nelson’s absence was a huge loss for the Packers’ offense, as receivers couldn’t get open and the passing game struggled. Jordy is the supposed fix to the Packers’ offensive woes if he can return healthy. It’s only logical to think that Jordy Nelson will improve this offense. Nelson’s return allows Randall Cobb to return to his natural slot position, where he thrived in 2014. The latest news on Nelson is his status towards training camp. Nelson was placed on the PUP list to start training camp. Nelson hurt the knee opposite of his injured one. It’s not too concerning as Nelson simply called it a “hiccup” but it’s worth monitoring. Still, all signs point to Nelson being ready to go week one.
Randall Cobb was a flop in fantasy last season. Cobb had a tremendous 2014 season, which led him to be re-signed by Green Bay that following summer. Once Nelson went down, Cobb was taken quickly in many fantasy football drafts. He didn’t bode well outside of the slot and struggled to get open. Cobb goes back into the slot this season, and it only seems fitting that he has a bounce back year. 829 yards and 6 touchdowns is not going to cut it for fantasy owners.
Here comes an interesting topic: Who in the world will be the Packers’ third receiver? It’s hard to say, but there aren’t many options to choose from. Here are the possible players: Davante Adams, Jeff Janis, Jared Abbrederis, Ty Montgomery and Trevor Davis. Short list. Week one should feature Davante Adams as the third receiver, but he’s on a very short leash. These receivers should split snaps until one breaks away as the clear-cut option. It genuinely could be any one of the guys I mentioned above. Whoever it is will be a solid fantasy option.
Prediction: Jordy Nelson finishes as the WR10 in fantasy, he’ll have a rough start but a strong finish. Randall Cobb finishes as the WR15 in fantasy.
Tight End — Richard Rodgers and Jared Cook
Tight end hasn’t really been a fantasy friendly position for the Packers since the days of Jermichael Finely. At times it seemed that Richard Rodgers was the only guy Aaron Rodgers could trust as his receiver during last season. That allowed him to put up a modest 510 yards and 8 touchdowns. Rodgers still wasn’t that much of a fantasy option, so don’t expect that to change too much. He’s slow and he doesn’t make up for that in athleticism. He has shown up to training camp with weight loss, but with so many mouths to feed in this offense, it’s hard to see him having much of a role. I feel like we’ve seen Rodgers’s ceiling. I hope he proves me wrong. To be fair to Richard Rodgers, he did finish as the TE11 in PPR formats.
Jared Cook has all eyes on him this season. The Packers rarely go out to sign free agents, so Cook is somewhat of a surprise signing. I’m going to be honest, he’s not a great football player. He’s had very little success in the NFL, and it’s more probable than not that he’s going to be a flop. However, this is Cook’s first season with a good quarterback, and we know Aaron Rodgers can make even the most mediocre of receivers look good. There is upside, but Cook hasn’t even stepped on a practice field as a Packer. He’s missed OTAs and has been placed on the PUP list for training camp due to a foot injury.
Prediction: Richard Rodgers finishes at the TE15 in fantasy football. Jared Cook finishes as the the TE20. They will be much better in real life than in fantasy football.
Defense/ST
Remember when the Packers had one of the worst defenses in the league? I’m glad those days are gone. Green Bay has built a formidable squad on the defensive side of the ball through the mostly the draft and a little bit in free agency. The Green Bay defense still isn’t a top tier defense. Sadly, they’re the reason why the Packers have suffered so many heart-breaking losses. They did well building in the draft, but the departures of B.J. Raji and Casey Hayward will leave a mark. I can’t see this defense as a weekly option, simply because they can’t stop the run and are leaky against the pass game. But they’re great to stream, and their DFS price will allow them to be a good options.
Prediction: The Green Bay Packers D/ST will finish as at D/ST11. They have a great schedule and will be one of the best streaming options available.
The Fantasy Life app is the best sports community app to talk fantasy football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, WWE, MMA, Nascar, golf, eSports, or anything else you would hear about at a sports bar. Find or post funny memes, polls, GIFs, or join chats about your teams. Matthew Berry (ESPN, The Talented Mr. Roto), the face of fantasy football co-founded the app as a place for fans to chat about sports, get fantasy advice, or find sleepers for your team. Find Matthew on the app @matthewberry
Download the iPhone or Android app at fantasylifeapp.com. Also available in the App Store and Google Play.
Be sure to also follow me on the app as well @shalin.
