Analysis

7/31/23

4 min read

Green Bay Packers 2023 Fantasy Football Team Preview

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As we inch closer to opening day of the NFL season, we want to prepare you for your fantasy football drafts. That process begins with our team previews, where we’ll break down each team’s offense while providing players we’re targeting and, in some cases, avoiding.

>> READ: Packers Season Preview from Greg Jennings

Packers Fantasy Football Team Preview

Head Coach: Matt LaFleur (fifth season)

Offensive Coordinator: Adam Stenavich (second season)

Key Offensive Additions:

  • None

Key Offensive Departures:

Key Offensive Rookies:

Points Per Game: 21.8 (14th)

Passing Yards: 213.6 (17th)

Rushing Yards: 124.3 (15th)

Vacated Targets: 228 (third)

Pass: 59 percent Run: 41 percent

Pace: 32nd

OL Rank: 14th

Quarterbacks

Jordan Love is a former first-round pick entering his fourth season with just 83 NFL passing attempts on his resume. Love wasn’t a notable runner in college nor has he been in limited action as a pro. That means his fantasy value will be driven by his passing abilities.

Considering that four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers struggled in Green Bay last season, it’s tough to see Love having a big year. Love has value in best ball, superflex and deep leagues, but he should be left on waivers in most season long leagues.

Running Backs

The move from Rodgers to Love provides ripple effects to the run game. Expect an increase in run-game reliance as the team tries to manage the amount of processing Love has to do throughout each game.

Aaron Jones had 213 carries to AJ Dillon’s 186 last year; both played in all 17 games. While Jones is the preferred fantasy option and more talented pass-catcher, he likely experiences a receiving dip moving from the running back-friendly Rodgers to the more mobile and younger Love.

Additionally, Dillon is the preferred back near the end zone, as he has out-carried Jones 38-24 within 10 yards of the goal line over the past two seasons. Any increase to Jones’ raw carry volume should be more than offset for fantasy by the goal line and pass-catching concerns.

Jones shouldn’t considered until the middle rounds of fantasy drafts. He lacks touchdown upside, and his receiving usage could be squeezed, too. Dillon needs a Jones injury to be fantasy-relevant. He’s not worth considering until the later rounds.

Wide Receivers, Tight Ends

The Green Bay Packers' three-wide receiver sets will likely feature Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and rookie Jayden Reed. Doubs will be the deep threat on the outside, while Watson and Reed will share the slot role. Watson showcased his big-play ability last year, and we expect him to develop into a more well-rounded player.

While Doubs excels as a deep threat, he might not be the go-to player in short areas. Reed isn’t afraid to win in contested catch situations, but as a rookie, we don’t expect a consistent impact in Year 1. He is at best a very late-round pick.

The tight end room added talented rookies in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft to pair with the versatile Josiah Deguara. Musgrave stands out as the best pass catcher, but none of them are likely to make a significant fantasy impact this year.

Watson, the Packers' top player, will be a focal point in LaFleur's game plan. Love's success will directly impact his performance. While Love might not have a standout year, any time he has a great game, it will be tied to Watson. Watson will have week-to-week peaks and valleys, but his spike weeks can break slates.

Dynasty Sell

Ian Miller: Sell Love (QB17)

The current price point for a low-floor pocket quarterback prospect, who has hardly played entering his fourth season, doesn’t make a lot of sense. Love never posted even a 10 percent rushing yard share in college, meaning for him to have fantasy success, he’ll need to be a wildly efficient passer.  

Packers We’re Targeting or Avoiding in Fantasy Football

Josh Larky: Avoid Jones

Ryan Reynolds: Avoid Jones

Jordan Vanek: None

Other Fantasy Previews

NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS

NFC North: CHI | MIN | DET

NFC South: NO | ATL | CAR | TB

NFC West: SF | LAR | SEA | ARI

AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE |NYJ

AFC North: CIN | CLE | BAL | PIT 

AFC South: HOU | IND | JAX | TEN

AFC West: KC | LAC | LV | DEN

Follow our Team on Twitter

Josh Larky: @JLarkyTweets

Ryan Reynolds: @RyanReynoldsNFL  

Jordan Vanek: @JordanVanekDFS   

Ian Miller: @Dynasty_IM   

Our data is provided by Sports Info Solutions and our vacated targets figure is provided by Tru Media. 

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Tags: Aaron Jones, Aaron Rodgers, AJ Dillon See More

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan graduated with distinction from the University of Minnesota as an accounting major, but some of the most valuable business and investment lessons he has ever learned came from spending weekends learning the sports collectibles business from his father. At a young age, Ryan would voluntarily spend hours sifting through minor league baseball statistics, using his father’s analytics-based system to identify potential targets. Even then, the hitter’s swing or the pitcher’s “stuff” mattered more to Ryan than the perspective granted through just data.

Josh Larky

Josh Larky is the Director of Fantasy and Gambling at The 33rd Team.  He joins us with a unique blend of educational and professional experience.

Jordan Vanek

Jordan has been playing DFS since 2016 and started writing content at the end of 2020. While playing DFS, he has managed multiple top 10 finishes in NFL, college football, baseball, basketball and NASCAR.

Ian Miller

Ian Miller attended Washington State University, where most of the time he was building fantasy football models when he should’ve been paying attention to lectures. That’s where he first started building his process that he continue to grow today. It’s a process that gives probability of success and range of outcomes for recruits all the way to ten year NFL veterans. It’s something Ian not only shares with the readers, but also uses in his personal fantasy leagues.

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