The Green Bay Packers enjoy an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position. Two of those players are Jayden Reed and Christian Watson. They win in different ways, offering separate profiles to take advantage of in fantasy football. At cost, though, we’re likely only taking one of them to lead us to the promised land.
Let’s break down their fantasy outlooks and guide you toward the correct player in this intra-squad debate.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Jayden Reed
Reed has immense talent but has had an issue seeing the field due to Green Bay’s depth. TruMedia recorded only 386 routes, the 90th-most in the NFL last season. He is certainly talented, but it’s hard to put up elite numbers without similar volume.
Even so, Reed made the most of his limited routes. He turned 94 targets into 64 receptions, 793 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns, the eighth-best total in the NFL last season.
MORE: Consensus Redraft Fantasy Rankings
Reed is an emerging receiver due to his exceptional route running. His ability to separate is why consensus rankings have him so high, but his ceiling is limited until he sees the field as much as the game’s highest scorers.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Christian Watson
Watson’s biggest concern is his availability. Last season, he only played in nine games. Yet, he recorded 270 routes, which on a per-game basis blew Reed out of the water (30 routes per game to 24.125).
Watson scored five touchdowns last year in limited time, showing us that Jordan Love will lean on him when he is out there.
Love largely targets Watson downfield. The receiver led the league in air yards per target last season. His 6’4″ frame is matched by elite athleticism, which the Packers love to utilize on the boundary.
Watson had his hamstrings tested this offseason to help treat an imbalance between them. If this helps his durability, he could be a monster in fantasy football.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
These players are separated by fewer than two rounds by average draft position (ADP). Although Reed is 82nd overall, we should target Watson 100th overall. The best value on the Packers offense may simply be Love, but Watson offers more upside at a cheaper cost, even if that comes with more risk.
As long as Reed’s opportunities lag behind his talent, his fantasy football ceiling will be capped. Instead, chasing a player who can consistently beat defenses over the top allows us to swing our matchup with big plays. His ability to turn in a two-touchdown game is precisely the type of dart throw you want to take to optimize your draft strategy, particularly with safer starters ahead of him.
Is it risky with his past injury history? Of course.
However, we discussed Christian McCaffrey’s dealing with an injury curse a few years back, and now he’s easily the RB1. Players being considered injury-prone can be a very temporary title. Don’t let the past dictate your future, and always aim for ceiling plays in good offenses like Watson in Green Bay.