Tag: christian watson

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Dak Prescott 347-41 3
Gardner Minshew 355-5 3
Jared Goff 355-15 3
 Joe Burrow 375-5 3
 Josh Allen 172-41 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Saquon Barkley 14-84
8-49		 1
D’Onta Foreman 21-165 1
Derrick Henry 23-126
2-0		 1
Devin Singletary 12-106
2-19		 1
Alvin Kamara  20-76
2-34		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
CeeDee Lamb 10-120 2
DeVonta Smith 8-113 2
Justin Jefferson 12-133 1
Tee Higgins 8-128 1
Jaylen Waddle 5-143 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
T.J. Hockenson 13-109 2
George Kittle 6-120 2
Tyler Higbee
Shane Zlystra 5-26 1
Evan Engram 7-113 0
Placekickers XP FG
Brett Maher 4 4
Mason Crosby 2 4
Eddy Pineiro 4 3
Robbie Gould 4 3
Riley Patterson 1 4
Defense Sack – TO TD
Packers 2-4 0
Rams 6-3 1
Patriots 2-3 1
Eagles 6-1 1
Steelers 3-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Taylor Heinicke (WAS) – Benched
RB Travis Homer (SEA) – Ankle
RB Jordan Mason (SF) – Hamstring
WR Christian Watson (GB) – Hip
TE Hunter Henry (NE) – Knee
TE Greg Dulcich (DEN) – Hamstring

Chasing Ambulances

This week was extraordinarily light for injuries. Yes, many players may have disappeared right when you needed them and ended up with a choke job.

But injuries were not your problem this week and that makes losing a playoff game hurt just a bit more.

WR Christian Watson (GB) – The Packers’ top rookie receiver was held out of the second half with a hip injury. He said himself that he’ll be “all right,” so the injury may not play into this week when they face the visiting Vikings.

TE Greg Dulcich (DEN) – He caught his second touchdown of the season and then was ruled out with a hamstring injury during the fourth quarter in the loss to the Rams. There was no prognosis after the game and he will be examined on Monday to determine the severity and see if he can participate in the loss game in Kansas City.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB   Gardner Minshew (PHI) The Eagles may have lost to the Cowboys, but don’t blame Minshew in his first start this season. He passed for 355 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran in a third score. Granted, Minshew threw two interceptions and fumbled twice and lost one. But his first start was on the road against the Cowboys and he produced two 100-yard receivers.

The Eagles suddenly are weighing Jalen Hurts playing to get that one more win that ensures the No. 1 seed,  but will they need to when the 6-9 Saints show up next week?

QB Brock Purdy (SF) – The rookie is hardly irrelevant after winning all three starts and setting a franchise record by throwing for two touchdowns in back-to-back games to the tight end George Kittle. He’s logged three straight 100+ point QB ratings to start his career. He’s a game manager so far, and that’s all the 49ers needed him to be. He threw for 234 yards and two scores against the Commanders.

QB Baker Mayfield (LAR) – He’s 2-1 as the Rams starter while taking over a rudderless ship that had almost no crew from when the season started.  Mayfield had his best effort yet with 230 yards and two scores in the win over the Broncos. His final two games are on the road where he’s yet to win, but at least he’s getting positive game film out there to help next year when he signs on with yet another team and new set of coaches.

TE Evan Engram (JAC) – A number of Jaguars have helped their fantasy stock for next year, but perhaps none has rekindled his career like Engram who only signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars. Engram scored four times this year and his 113-yard, seven-catch performance at the Jets was his second 100-yard game in the last three weeks.

QB Zach Wilson (NYJ) – The former first-round pick struggled this year but he threw for only 77 yards in Week 11 at the Patriots and was benched for Mike White. Wilson was called back while White nursed broken ribs. The once-impressive Jets lost their last four games and at 7-8 are in real jeopardy of missing the playoffs. Wilson did it again in Week 16 when he only completed 9-of-18 for 92 yards in the loss against the visiting Jaguars. He missed passes so badly that it’s fair to question if Wilson has the ability to play in the NFL.  HC Robert Saleh wouldn’t talk about Wilson afterward, but he has to figure out what his Plan C is.

QB Desmond Ridder (ATL) – His first start was when he only passed for 97 yards at the Saints, but Ridder showed better talent on Saturday when he threw for 218 yards at the Ravens. He hasn’t shown much as a runner yet, but he has a home game against the Steelers this week and then the final week at the Bengals.

WR DJ Chark (DET) – He only caught one pass for 18 yards in Week 15 to remind you why he was thrown onto the waiver wire back in Week 4 when he went onto injured reserve. But Chark logged 90+ yards in three of the last four games, including a season-best four catches for 108 yards at the Panthers on Saturday.

WR Velus Jones (CHI) – It is minor, but the 3.07 pick this year who ran a 4.31 40-time at the Combine finally had more than one short catch. He’s been active for the last seven games and scored on his first NFL catch, but then hasn’t been any better than one short catch in any game. Against the Bills this week, he caught the typical eight-yard pass but also turned in a 44-yard catch at the end of the third quarter. He’s blazingly fast and has been the kick returner this year. But 2023 should see him do more – if Justin Fields can improve as a passer.

QB Deshaun Watson (CLE) – The Browns’ new quarterback only threw for 135 yards and no score, with one interception in the loss to the Saints.  Over his four starts, he’s only thrown for two touchdowns against three interceptions and ran around 20 yards per game with one score ran in just last Saturday. It’s all part of shaking off the rust from nearly two years, but he hasn’t looked as Jacoby Brissett, so the hope is this is just the necessary work to get back in shape. But he’s brought the fantasy fortunes of the receivers down. Donovan Peoples-Jones only caught one pass for two yards in the loss this week.

TE T.J. Hockenson (MIN) – The Vikings midseason acquisition has been a valuable cog in the machine but no difference-maker. That changed in Week 16 against the Giants when he led the team with 13 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the three-point win. Justin Jefferson (12-133, TD) still excelled but the other wideouts combined for only four catches and 23 yards. Hockenson should see better days in the playoffs when top secondaries do a better job against the starting wideouts.

QB Malik Willis (TEN) – The Titans choose the ex-Liberty quarterback with their 3.22 pick this year but three starts have failed to offer anything promising about the future. He took his third start of the year in Week 16 and only completed 14-of-23 for 99 yards and two interceptions. And that was better than his first two starts. The Titans just lost to the visiting Texans, 19-14, which alone indicates the alarm.

QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – The rookie only passed for 244 yards and one score but he led the Steelers on a two-minute drive at the end of the game to throw a 14-yard touchdown to George Pickett with only 50 seconds left. The Steelers held on to win the game and Pickett has his first game-winning drive under his belt.

NFL Tight ends – In Week 14, tight ends accounted for only  six touchdowns and two went to Evan Engram. The previous week only saw four scores by the position. But Week 15 suddenly contained 17 touchdowns for tight ends and three turned in double scores. There were 14 in Week 16, excluding what may happen in tonight’s Monday night game against the Chargers and Colts.

There were four tight ends with multiple scores – George Kittle (6-120, 2 TD), T.J. Hockenson (13-109, 2 TD), Tyler Higbee (9-94, 2 TD), and Shane Zylstra (5-26, 3 TD). There were only three wideouts with double scores and that included Trenton Irwin (3-45, 2 TD) of the Bengals. Typically, tight ends score the most in the first month or so of the season, and then settled down. Week 16 was an aberration that helped fantasy leaguers in their playoffs – if they made it that far.

Huddle player of the week

Cam Akers  –  The Rams historically mediocre running back turned up his production for the last month with three scores and a couple of 60-yard performances. On Sunday against the Broncos, Akers ravaged their defense. He picked up chunks of yardage and ended with a career-best  23 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns, plus two catches for 29 yards. Cam Akers was the highest-scoring fantasy play of Week 16 for quite the  Christmas present for those fantasy owners that were playing in their league playoffs.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Gardner Minshew 360 3 QB Deshaun Watson 154 1
RB D’onta Foreman 165 1 RB R. Stevenson 33 0
RB James Cook 108 1 RB Jamaal Williams 14 0
WR Kendrick Bourne 129 1 WR Christian Kirk 26 0
WR Isaiah Hodgins 89 1 WR Davante Adams 15 0
WR Trenton Irwin 45 2 WR Stefon Diggs 26 0
TE Shane Zylstra 26 3 TE Mark Andrews 45 0
PK Brett Maher 4  XP   4 FG PK Nick Folk   zippo
Huddle Fantasy Points = 163 Huddle Fantasy Points = 25

Now get back to work…

Packers film room: Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson show different skill sets vs. Rams

This week’s Packers Film Room dives into the tape of rookie WRs Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson against the Rams.

The Green Bay Packers ran an efficient offense in their win over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, and some of that is a credit to getting Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson back in the lineup. The two rookie receivers haven’t gotten much field time together this season, but they combined for nine catches totaling 101 yards against the Rams. Moving forward, the Packers offense should be able to play to its potential for the final three games.

Before Week 15, seeing Doubs and Watson on the field at the same time had been a rarity. Watson battled injuries through the first half of the season, while Doubs missed the last four games with an ankle injury. This labored Green Bay’s offense, which struggled to find any consistency. However, with both players healthy this week, it gave us a better look at what this offense can look like with their different skill sets at the team’s disposal.

Aaron Rodgers spoke a little bit about the differences between Doubs and Watson during his post-game press conference.

“Doubs is a very crisp route runner,” Rodgers said. “Romes (Romeo) has always been a little bit more polished as a route runner, and Christian is just so explosive. I thought Matt (LaFleur) did a good job of giving Romeo some routes where we needed his crispness and giving Christian opportunities to use his speed.”

Of course, it is one thing to listen to Rodgers and another to see what he is talking about. So, we are back with another film review, this time taking a closer look at the performances of both Doubs and Watson against the Rams.

Let’s start with a nice route from Doubs against off coverage. The play begins with Watson motioning to the other side of the field, leaving Doubs with plenty of room to operate. He sells the vertical, which buys him some cushion before cutting to the outside. The corner looks to drive on the out route as soon as Doubs makes his break, but this leads to a double move from Doubs, who chops his feet and then whips around to come back inside. Doubs’ route savvy creates plenty of separation and an easy throw for Rodgers. We also get to see a great hands catch from Doubs.

Here is another smooth route from Doubs. The vertical threat forces the corner to open his hips early, which gives Doubs a chance to maximize separation on a short in-breaker. Notice the sharpness of the angle Doubs takes on this route and how he loses no speed when making his cut. This is great attention to detail from a rookie.

Shifting over to Watson, we see how corners have to respect his speed. Again, the corner opens his hips early as Watson appears to be running a go route. However, after 10 yards, Watson throttles down and settles in for a curl. It just goes to show Watson is more than just a deep threat and can also use his speed for other routes.

This is what separates Doubs and Watson as route runners. Here, Watson runs a 15-yard dig. The route isn’t super clean as we see Watson drift upfield closer to the defender as he crosses over the middle. It gives the safety a better chance at forcing an incompletion, but Watson makes a contested catch, nonetheless.

No, Watson didn’t get into the endzone this week, but he got an assist for helping Aaron Jones. For starters, Watson is in this role because he is a tremendous blocker. It’s a simple swing pass, and Watson is tasked with making the key block. He does a great job of recognizing and digging out the nearest defender, who is flowing with Jones toward the flat. Great effort from Watson allows Jones to read the block that also disrupts the help defender coming downhill. It’s a beautiful play by Watson, who essentially takes out two defenders with one block. Here we see why Watson is such a special player and how he can impact the game even when the ball isn’t in his hands.

Let’s finish with a 3rd-and-1 play that uses Watson’s speed in a unique way. Watson is lined up behind the line of scrimmage on this play-action call and runs a slide route across the formation. It’s not overly complicated and allows Rodgers to get the ball in Watson’s hands quickly. Doubs is the vertical route on this play and rubs the defender who is supposed to be covering Watson. Because the defender is late, Watson makes an easy catch and has the leverage to use his speed to turn upfield. It’s a great play design and perfect for getting the ball in the hands of a playmaker.

Conclusion

All in all, I think Matt LaFleur said it best. Doubs and Watson have come a long way, and there is so much more in front of them. Doubs is already a good route runner with a chance to be great if he continues to work on his craft. Meanwhile, Watson is more than just a one-trick pony and could be one of the better all-around receivers in just a few years. Together, they give Green Bay’s offense two different skill sets that will make it tough on opposing defenses for years to come.

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Packers rookie WRs Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson turn potential into production against Rams

The present and future at wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers was on full display on MNF vs. the Rams.

Maybe it’s a tad late, but the potential of rookie wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs has finally turned into production. Aaron Rodgers talked about the expectations of a young wide receiver room during the summer, and they were met in last night’s 24-12 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

“I like production over potential,” Rodgers said in June. “We have some production, but we have a lot of potential. We need to temper expectations and heighten accountability.”

Watson and Doubs were Green Bay’s two most productive receivers against the Rams, combining for nine catches totaling 101 yards. It was the first time both receivers had taken the field together since Week 9 and the first time the Packers had both of their rookie receivers healthy and playing with confidence.

Doubs made his return against Los Angeles after an ankle injury sidelined him for four games. In just 23 snaps, he posted a team-high 55 yards on five receptions, including four catches resulting in first downs. Doubs’ smooth routing running and ability to separate was something the offense had been missing in his absence.

“I was happy to get him out there; he’s a very crisp route runner,” said Rodgers.

“It was great to see him back out there,” Matt LaFleur echoed. “You can certainly see his route-running ability, how effortless it is when he catches the football.”

While Doubs was out, he watched Watson emerge into a dynamic threat within the offense and a touchdown machine. Prior to his injury, Doubs and Watson had only been on the field together for 52 snaps. While Doubs was eager to make his return to the field, he was also excited to join forces with his fellow rookie, who was red hot.

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” Doubs said leading up to the Rams’ game. “Christian’s been balling, and I can’t wait to be out there with him because we’ve been looking forward to that opportunity.”

Watson was Green Bay’s leading receiver with 313 yards on 15 catches while totaling eight touchdowns during an impressive four-game stretch. Unfortunately, a missed hand signal prevented Watson from finding the endzone against Los Angeles, but he did deliver a key block that helped Aaron Jones cross the goal line to go up by 18 points in the third quarter.

After a month of stardom, a slow start limited Watson to only one target in the first half on Monday. However, he would eventually get back on track by catching a pair of passes for 10 and 15 yards on the team’s next drive, which ended in a touchdown. Watson’s day ended with him catching four of his six targets for 46 yards – his lowest total since Week 9 – although getting the win is more important.

“Just to be able to contribute in any way is satisfying, especially in a win, and that’s all that matters to me,” Watson said postgame.

A second straight win for the Packers has them sitting at 6-8, and their playoff hopes are improving ever so slightly. Even better, their offense is clicking at the right time, and their rookie receivers are turning their potential into much-needed production. Green Bay still has its focus on this season, but even LaFleur admitted that the futures are very bright for Watson and Doubs.

“Both of those guys have come a long way, but I still think there’s much more in front of them, so that’s really exciting.”

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Christian Watson running the wrong route led to a horrible bad beat for NFL bettors

This was a brutal bad beat.

Oof, this NFL bad beat hurts from Monday Night Football.

The Green Bay Packers were cruising to a 24-12 win over the Los Angeles Rams, but they were near the goal line with just under two minutes to go and trying for a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers took the snap and immediately threw to touchdown machine Christian Watson … but the receiver didn’t turn around. Incomplete pass on what surely would have been a score, and then Aaron Jones got a first down before Rodges kneeled three times to end the game.

If you had the OVER at 39.5 points, as many bettors did, Watson’s mistake was a bad beat for you:

Brutal.

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Here’s a crazy stat about Christian Watson, Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon

One player has scored 9 touchdowns on 30 touches. The other two have scored 9 touchdowns on 378 touches.

The 2022 Green Bay Packers are an odd football team, and odd football teams usually create fascinating statistical discoveries.

Here’s a wild stat: rookie receiver Christian Watson has as many total touchdowns this season as running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon combined.

Last year, Jones and Dillon scored 17 total touchdowns. Through 13 games, the running back pair has just nine – the same amount as Watson has scored in just seven games.

Another stat to highlight the point: Watson, who ran in a 46-yard touchdown on Sunday in Chicago, has as many rushing touchdowns (two) as Jones in 2022.

Of course, Watson has gone on a touchdown-scoring binge over the last four games, finding the end zone eight times in the last month. He has nine touchdowns on 30 touches, a ridiculous scoring percentage of 30.0%. Jones and Dillon have nine touchdowns on 378 touches, creating a scoring percentage of 2.4%.

Watson has been on the field for all of 330 snaps; Jones and Dillon have combined for 920.

Jones scored rushing touchdowns in Week 2 vs. Chicago and Week 10 vs. Dallas. That’s it. He does have four receiving touchdowns, but Jones will be hard-pressed to extend his three-year streak of scoring at least 10 total touchdowns.

Dillon scored his third rushing touchdown of the season on Sunday at Soldier Field, but he’ll probably be hard-pressed to match last season’s seven total touchdowns.

It doesn’t help that Jones and Dillon have only received 33 carries in the red zone this season. Jones, with 21 red-zone rushes, has the same amount of carries inside the 20 as Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

And here’s another crazy stat: Dillon and Jones have just five total carries inside the 5-yard line, including just one for Jones. The pair has just one touchdown from inside the five.

Since Week 10, the Packers have scored 13 total touchdowns. Watson has eight of them. Watson also has the team’s four longest offensive touchdowns of the season.

For this Packers team, the dynamic rookie receiver is the big-play threat and the new touchdown machine.

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Brian Gutekunst likes long-term outlook of Packers’ wide receiver room

Despite some ups and downs early in the post Davante Adams era, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst likes the long-term outlook of his WR room.

The moment that Brian Gutekunst realized that Davante Adams had no plans to re-sign with the Green Bay Packers, he knew the wide receiver room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue was in store for a remodel. 

Replacing the best wide receiver and his production was always going to take time. There were going to be growing pains. 

It was dubbed the Davante Replacement plan. A plan that just a few weeks ago looked like a complete and utter failure. A plan that fell under extreme scrutiny before and after the trade deadline when Gutekunst failed to add a wide receiver.

Turns out, all we needed was a little patience, a hard thing to come by in today’s fast-paced world, where people want to see results immediately. 

“Whenever you lose a player the caliber of Tae, you’re going to have to overcome it,” Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst said during his press conference on Monday. “I think we struggled out of the gate to do that. At the same time, that room, in particular, looks pretty bright moving forward.” 

The centerpiece of that room and the remodel of the wide receiver room is Christian Watson. The dynamic wide receiver is the reason why the light is shining so bright in Green Bay’s wide receiver room. 

The NDSU wide receiver that the Packers traded up for in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft struggled to get and stay on the field early in the season as he battled the injury bug.

Over the last four games, Watson has hauled in 15 receptions for 313 receiving yards. During that four-game stretch, Watson has had two 100-yard receiving games and he’s accounted for eight touchdowns. 

“You have to give that kid a lot of credit,” Gutekunst said. “Going into camp with the surgery and having to miss that time…I give him a lot of credit for not losing faith and not losing his work ethic. Because when the opportunities presented themselves he made the most of them.”

When the Packers return from the bye week they could get a closer look at what the wide receiver room could look like moving forward when Romeo Doubs returns from injury. 

According to ESPN’s Rob Demovksy, Watson, and Doubs, the fourth-round pick out of Nevada have only been on the field together this season for 52 snaps. Getting those two on the field together will be a high priority for Matt LaFleur as the Packers assess what they have at the wide receiver position. 

“It would be nice to get all those guys out there at the same time,” Gutekunst said…I’m very high on those guys’ ceilings and what they can do as a group.”

With Watson, Doubs and Samori Toure, the Packers have foundational pieces in place at the wide receiver room. Now, it’s up to Gutekunst to continue to add young talent to the mix.

This year’s wide receiver class is not as highly regarded as the previous three wide receiver draft classes, but there are still talented wide receivers that could be high on Gutekunst’s board. Here are five wide receivers that Gutekunst could target in the first three rounds if he opts to add a wide receiver early in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Quentin Johnston, TCU

Johnston has all the tools to tempt Gutekunst to take a wide receiver in the first round. Like Watson, Johnston has a unique blend of size (6-4, 215) and speed. Pairing him with Watson would put a lot of stress on defenses.

Rashee Rice, SMU

Emmanuel Sanders, Cortland Sutton, Cole Beasley, James Proche, Trey Quinn, Reggie Roberson, and Danny Gray. SMU has produced a lot of talented wide receivers over the years and Rice may be the most talented. Rice set the program record for receiving yards this season. His greatest strength is his ability to create after the catch. He could be a target for Gutekunst at the top of the second round.

Rome Odunze, Washington

If Oduzne opts for the NFL Draft he could go early in the second round. Odunze enjoyed a breakout season under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.  Odunze passes the eye test with his size (6-3, 201 pounds), athleticism, and play strength. The Washington wide receiver is a vertical threat with his long strides and straight-line quickness. He’s able to vary his route speed to keep defensive backs off balance and has a lot of branches on his route tree.

Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

Tillman would give the Packers a big, physical wide receiver to pair with Watson. Tillman is a long (6-3), physical wide receiver that outmuscles defensive backs at the catch point. With his frame, he has a large catch radius and has the body control to adjust to the ball while it’s in the air.

Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State

The Cyclone wide receiver has excellent hand-eye coordination and makes contested catches look like a walk in the park. He has outstanding body control and does a good job of adjusting to the ball. Hutchinson finished this season with 107 receptions for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns. 

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Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Jalen Hurts 380-12 4
 Joe Burrow 286-46 3
 Geno Smith 367-3 3
 Jared Goff 340 2
 Justin Fields 254-71 1
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Christian McCaffrey 17-66
8-80		 1
Josh Jacobs 26-144
2-6		 1
Samaje Perine 21-106
6-49		 0
D’Andre Swift 14-62
4-49		 1
Tony Pollard 12-91
2-15		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Davante Adams 8-177 2
Amon-Ra St. Brown 11-114 2
A.J. Brown 8-119 2
Tyreek Hill 9-146 1
Tyler Lockett 8-127 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Greg Dulcich 6-85 0
Noah Fant 4-42 1
Evan Engram 5-30 1
Cole Kmet 6-72 0
Gerald Everett 5-80 0
Placekickers XP FG
Greg Zuerlein 1 5
Mike Badgley 4 4
Robbie Gould 3 4
Matthew Wright 1 4
Matt Gay 2 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Browns 0-4 3
49ers 3-3 1
Eagles 6-0 0
Cowboys 3-5 1
Chargers 0-2 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

The injuries were getting lighter and lighter. And then Week 14 happened.

QB Lamar Jackson (BAL) – Knee
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Broken Foot
QB Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) – Ankle
RB Aaron Jones (GB) – Shin
RB Kenneth Walker (SEA) – Ankle
WR David Bell (CLE) – Hand
WR Quez Watkins (PHI) – Shoulder
WR Courtland Sutton (DEN) – Hamstring
WR Chase Claypool (CHI) -Leg
WR Treylon Burks (TEN) – Concussion
WR Jaylen Waddle (MIA) – Leg
TE Hayden Hurst (CIN) – Calf
TE Isaiah Likely (BAL) – Shoulder

Chasing Ambulances

QB Lamar Jackson – Injured his knee but it is not season-ending. Jackson will undergo further testing on Monday. HC John Harbaugh said they should know how long Jackson will be out by Wednesday.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Broke his foot and is lost for the rest of the season. It was fortunate that Garoppolo was unable to find a trade partner and that he remained a 49er when Trey Lance was lost for the year. This time, the 49ers do not have a former NFL starter ready to step in.

QB Tua Tagovailoa – Was on the injury report with an ankle injury last week, and then missed the final drive after injuring his ankle again. He had started limping earlier in the game after being sacked and the final strip sack by Nick Bosa sent him to the sideline. Tagovailoa downplayed the injury after the game but more should be known by Wednesday.

RB Aaron Jones – Was limited in practices because of his shin last week but wasn’t listed on the final report. He injured the shin again during the Packers’ win over the Bears and missed time but returned later in the game. But he was ineffective (2.9 YPC) on his nine runs while AJ Dillon had his best game of the season. The Packers head onto their bye which should help Jones get his shin healthy again.

RB Kenneth Walker  – He injured his ankle in the second quarter of the win over the Rams and spend the rest of the day watching the game with a shoe off while resting his leg on the bench. HC Pete Carroll said that it wasn’t sprained but it was “jammed inside.” Carroll said that the severity of the injury was known yet, so we should have more word by Wednesday with the first injury report. DeeJay Dallas replaced him and also left with a sprained ankle.

WR Courtland Sutton – Injured his hamstring before recording a catch in the loss to the Ravens. He’ll be tested to determine the severity. His absence prompted Jerry Jeudy to play more despite just coming off an injury himself. Better word should be given by Wednesday when the Broncos discuss their injuries.

WR Treylon Burks – Was hit helmet to helmet when he caught his first NFL touchdown and somehow held onto the ball even after the crushing hit in the endzone. HC Mike Vrabel said, “I think he’s doing OK from what I’ve seen.” He’s likely to be held out next week unless he can spin through the concussion protocol quickly.

WR Jaylen Waddle – Left the loss to the 49ers with an unspecified leg injury during the middle of the second quarter. He returned in the third quarter but only caught one pass for nine yards in the second half. His practices should be telling this week as they prep to play at the Chargers.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB  Tyler Huntley (BAL) – The third-year backup stepped in after Lamar Jackson was injured and finished the win over the Broncos. He only threw for 187 yards and one interception but ran for 41 yards and a score on ten rushes. Jackson isn’t initially expected to be lost for the season, but he seems likely to sit out Week 14 at the Steelers, if not more.  Huntley took over last year when Jackson missed the final four games of the season. He’s very much a “Jackson-lite.” He’s a good runner with 40 to 70 yards when he’s played and an adequate passer that has only thrown scores in two of his six career starts. He’ll be a downgrade to the receivers but offer fantasy value with his rushing yardage.

QB Brock Purdy (SF) – The 49ers selected the Iowa State grad as Mr. Irrelevant as the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He was the only other quarterback on the roster when Jimmy Garoppolo was lost for the season with a broken foot. Purdy is the starter now, and the 49ers signed Josh Johnson from the Broncos’ practice squad as the new back-up. Purdy may be the first Mr. Irrelevant to throw a touchdown, but he was still the ninth-best quarterback coming out of college. That’s better than other undrafted starters – Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia, Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, etc. Purdy threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.  He’ll face a tough Buccaneers defense this week, but his final three matchups of the fantasy season are the Seahawks, Commanders, and Raiders, who all sport below-average secondaries.

RB DeeJay Dallas / Tony Jones / Travis Homer (SEA) – If Kenneth Walker’s injured foot causes him to miss any games, this is the current set of running backs at the Seahawks’ disposal. Dallas was the initial replacement for Walker and ran for 37 yards on ten carries before injuring his own ankle. Tony Jones (7-14) handled the workload after that but was ineffective. Travis Homer missed the game on Sunday with a knee injury but has only served as  a very occasional third-down back. Homer caught a score on his two receptions for 45 yards in Week 12 versus the Raiders. Dallas would be the preferred replacement though he’s been just a marginal player for three years. Homer is another with only spot duty for the last three years. Dallas becomes fantasy relevant if he is healthy enough to play this week if Walker is unable to play. But there is no attractive fall back in Seattle.

QB Desmond Ridder (ATL) – Yes, he has not played a down after being the second quarterback drafted this year. And the Falcons have been adamant about the whole “Marcus Mariota is our quarterback” mantra. But the Falcons just lost their eighth game of the season and are at that point of the season where it takes a math whiz coupled with drug-induced optimism to think they can still make the playoffs. Mariota just to the visiting Steelers after completing 13-of-24 for 167 yards and one score with one touchdown. The calls to see a change are getting louder.

WR Christian Watson (GB) – The rookie that totaled ten catches for 88 yards and no scores through Week 9 just scored. Again. Twice. Over the last four games, Watson caught seven touchdowns and added a 46-yard rushing score this week as well. Whatever switch that flipped in his head apparently doesn’t turn off.

WR DJ Chark (DET) – He caught a touchdown on his two receptions for 16 yards in Week 12 and just posted five catches for 98 yards in the win over the Jaguars.  He’s starting to catch the attention of Jared Goff more. Jameson Williams also played on Sunday but failed to catch his only target. Perhaps he won’t immediately become a star that cuts into anyone else’s workload.

QB Deshaun Watson (CLE) – He finally made it back. A short two year-ish later, Watson started a game that was won by 13 points. That had almost nothing to do with him. Watson passed for just 131 yards and one interception against his old team and while they scored three touchdowns, none were by the offense. They returned a punt, returned an interception, and returned a fumble all for scores. Watson rushed for 21 yards on seven carries as the least productive runner for the Browns. Donovan Peoples-Jones (3-44) and Amari Cooper (4-40) were much less productive than they had been with Jacoby Brissett. It’s all a needed step to get  Watson back into shape but it’s going to take down a few receivers in the process right when fantasy playoffs are looming in the future.

RB Zonovan Knight (NYJ) – The undrafted fallback from Michael Carter shared the backfield with James Robinson (4-10) and Ty Johnson (1-3), but Knight was clearly the best option when he ran for 90 yards on 15 carries that included a 48-yard gain. Knight even added five receptions for 28 yards. Now the question is what happens with Michael Carter when he returns because Knight has already distanced himself from Robinson and Johnson.

RB Jordan Mason (SF) – Christian McCaffrey had his typical productive game against the Dolphins – 146 total yards, eight receptions, one touchdown. But this was the most recent “first time” that they were without Elijah Mitchell. Deebo Samuel (4-5) helped out though he was a game-time decision and played like it. Mason offered eight carries for 51 yards in relief of McCaffrey. That may be short of fantasy relevancy, but it is more than enough to want on a fantasy roster knowing that McCaffrey could get hurt.

RB Samaje Perine (CIN) – Popped up in the box score with 30 rushing yards and caught four passes for 52 yards when Joe Mixon left the Steelers game in Week 11. He ran for 58 yards and a score in Tennessee in Week 12 and added four catches for 35 yards. On Sunday, he was better still, running for 106 yards on 21 carries and catching six passes for 49 yards. Going to be hard to hand over all of the work to Mixon when he returns.

Huddle player of the week

Davante Adams – The Raiders trailed the Chargers 13-10 at the half and in the first five minutes of the third quarter, Davante Adams caught touchdowns of 45 and 31 yards. They were separated by just one Josh Jacob run. Adams ended with eight catches for 177 yards and two scores for his best game yet with the Raiders. He accounted for 177 of the 250 passing yards and remains every bit of the target sponge that he was in Green Bay.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Mike White 376 1 QB Lamar Jackson 20 0
RB AJ Dillon 119 1 RB Ken Walker 36 0
RB Zonovan Knight 118 0 RB Derrick Henry 38 0
WR Isaiah Hodgins 44 1 WR J. Smith-Schuster 39 0
WR Jahan Dotson 54 1 WR Amari Cooper 40 0
WR Trent Sherfield 75 1 WR Jaylen Waddle 9 0
TE Noa Fant 42 1 TE Dawson Knox 0 0
PK Mike Badgley 4 XP   4 FG PK Justin Tucker  1 XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 126 Huddle Fantasy Points = 18

Now get back to work…

Packers WR Christian Watson joins exclusive group of touchdown-scoring rookies

Green Bay Packers rookie Christian Watson accomplished something statistically over the last four games that has only ever been done by Randy Moss and Odell Beckham Jr.

Green Bay Packers rookie Christian Watson is scoring touchdowns at a rate that has only been matched by the likes Randy Moss and Odell Beckham Jr.

Watson caught his seventh touchdown pass in the last four games on Sunday in Chicago. Per the NFL, Watson joined Moss and Beckham Jr. as the only rookies in the Super Bowl era to catch at least seven touchdowns in a four-game stretch.

Watson caught three touchdown passes against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10, two touchdown passes against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11, one touchdown pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12 and now one (so far) against the Bears in Week 13.

The score was from 14 yards out on 4th-and-4 late in the second quarter.

The record for a rookie is eight touchdown catches in four games.

Moss caught eight touchdown passes during a four-game stretch in 1998, while Beckham Jr. caught seven during a four-game stretch in 2014.

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Packers rookie Christian Watson catches another touchdown pass, cuts into Bears lead

Christian Watson caught his seventh touchdown pass in the last four games, cutting the Bears lead over the Packers to 16-10 at halftime.

The Green Bay Packers desperately needed a big play to end the first half in Chicago, and rookie Christian Watson was up to the task.

On fourth down and the Packers trailing 16-3 late in the second quarter, Watson uncovered on an extended play and made a 14-yard touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers to pull the Packers to within six points of the Bears going into halftime.

Watson, a second-round pick in the 2022 draft, now has seven touchdown catches in the Packers’ last four games.

Per the Packers, Watson is now third in team history among rookies with seven touchdown receptions.

Here’s the latest Watson touchdown:

The Packers fell behind by 13 points after Justin Fields (56-yard touchdown) and Equanimeous St. Brown (56 catch) created explosive plays.

Watson and the Packers receive the ball to open the second half.

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5 bold predictions for Bears vs. Packers

From David Montgomery’s solid outing to Chase Claypool’s first touchdown, here are our bold predictions for Bears vs. Packers.

The oldest and greatest rivalry is renewed on Sunday as the Chicago Bears welcome the Green Bay Packers to Soldier Field for the second matchup of the season. The rivalry has seen better days as the Packers have dominated the Bears for the last decade and neither team is close to being .500 this late in the season, something that hasn’t happened since the turn of the millennium.

But there’s always something to play for when these teams meet up. Even though it’s been reduced to draft position in the 2022 standings, there’s historical significance this weekend. The Packers can pass the Bears in all-time wins for the first time since 1920 if they get a victory. It’s only fitting the opportunity presents itself when both teams are facing one another.

Whoever winds up winning this game will do so with a battered and bruised quarterback. The Bears’ Justin Fields is likely set to return to the lineup after missing Week 12 with a left shoulder injury. For the Packers, Aaron Rodgers left last week’s game with a rib injury, but plans to play through the pain on Sunday.

The rivalry hasn’t gone the Bears’ way recently, but anything can happen when these teams meet up. Here our are bold predictions for Bears vs. Packers.