Christian

Watson

Watson operated as the team’s top wideout in this game. His four targets were tied for a team-high. His elite efficiency allowed him to blow by the rest of the team’s wideouts in terms of production. The home-run hitter went yard again this week by taking a routine slant 41 yards to the house in the third quarter. That was after he scored a 23-yard touchdown in the first half. Watson won’t find the big play every week, but his involvement is trending in the right direction just as the fantasy playoffs are getting underway. Watson will enter the WR3 mix next week despite a tough matchup with the Broncos.

Watson’s day could have been bigger had a missed defensive pass interference call not prevented him from securing a would-be 12-yard, first-down catch on the Packers’ seventh drive. Two of Watson’s four receptions were impressive sideline grabs. He scored a 51-yard touchdown on the Packers’ fifth drive by running out, and up the right sideline, right past Lions’ CB Amik Robertson, before hauling in the basket catch for the score. Watson warrants WR2 treatment against the Bears next week, though his performance can be reliant on downfield chunk gains.

No surprise here as Watson has played through this listing each of the last two weeks and has mainly been limited for maintenance purposes as he works into shape following last year’s ACL tear. He’ll be Green Bay’s No. 1 wideout in Week 13 assuming things go as expected, making him perhaps worthy of a WR3 role in fantasy.

No other Packers player had more than four targets. Watson didn’t manage any major deep strikes because the Packers largely did not need that, but he boxed out defenders with his body and will remain a WR3/FLEX option in Week 13 against the Lions.

He’ll be a playable FLEX option against the Vikings after coming up with two touchdowns against the Giants in Week 11. Watson’s yardage ceiling has not been high enough to justify him as a WR3 just yet, but the touchdown upside is there.

So were Romeo Doubs (wrist), Matthew Golden (shoulder/wrist), Dontyavion Wicks (calf), Savion Williams (foot), Robert Brooks, Jordy Nelson, and Corey Bradford. Most of these injuries were played through last Sunday, with Williams (foot) getting the lone Wednesday DNP. We wouldn’t trust any of these receivers beyond the FLEX line at this point, with Watson leading the rankings there, but we bet most of them will be active on Sunday.

Watson was limited due to a knee issue while Wicks was limited due to a calf issue. Both Watson and Wicks have been listed on practice reports from previous weeks with the same respective injuries, so it is possible this is a procedural practice limitation and both receivers are good for Week 12 against the Vikings. Keep and eye on Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden, who were also both limited in Wednesday’s practice. If Watson and Wicks are good to go while Doubs and Golden are not, Watson is a borderline WR2/3 while Wicks enters the WR4 conversation. Fantasy managers should stay tuned to see how the banged-up Packers receiving corps practices later in the week.

The multi-score game was somehow the fourth of Watson’s career, though his first since 2023. No. 1 was a one-yard blind heave from a pressured Malik Willis. No. 2 was a 17-yarder from Jordan Love into tight end zone coverage where Love simply threw the ball to a spot and trusted his wideout to make a play. Awesome stuff, especially since Romeo Doubs struggled with drops and Matthew Golden again filed to make an impact. Watson has been stuck on 4-5 weekly grabs on 5-6 weekly targets since returning a month ago, but today reminded of his upside for more. Week 12 opponent Minnesota likes to get burned deep.

Nor is Dontayvion Wicks (calf) — Watson will be a usable FLEX option against a weak Giants defense. Wicks probably is only a deep-league FLEX or WR5 call despite the good matchup.

Watson told reporters he plans to play and this is just the team being precautious. The big quote of the session was “I like being football sore not ACL/knee sore.” It doesn’t sound like this is anything to worry about, and Watson figures to be a FLEX option in Week 11 against a rough Giants defense.