Green Bay Packers: Week 13 Fantasy Profile

Nov 26, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver

(89) attempts to catch a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second half for a NFL game on Thanksgiving at Lambeau Field. The Bears defeat the Packers 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

WRs –Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, James Jones, Ty Montgomery, Jeff Janis

Last Game:
Cobb – 7 targets, 6 catches, 74 receiving yards; 7.40 fantasy points
Adams – 11 targets, 2 catches, 14 receiving yards; 1.40 fantasy points
Jones – 6 targets, 0 catches, 0 receiving yards; 0.00 fantasy points
Montgomery – Out With Injury
Janis – 0 targets, 0 catches, 0 receiving yards; 0.00 fantasy points

I’m still at a loss for how things have gotten as bad as they’ve been for this group.

What the hell has happened here? The loss of Jordy Nelson should not have destroyed the ability to consistently produce halfway-decent games like we’ve seen as long as we can remember from this team.

Stat-wise, this past week was probably one of the worst for the group. Despite a combined 24 targets, there were only 8 catches made; those catches gained only 88 total yards. This is pathetic, no matter the opponent, weather conditions, and/or injury situation.

Nov 26, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver

(18) during warmups prior to the NFL game against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving at Lambeau Field. Chicago won 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Nobody who played Thursday can escape blame for that shoddy excuse for a performance, except Randall Cobb; he’s the only receiver that managed anything constructive on Thanksgiving. Even still, that follows a 2 catch (on 9 targets) effort against Minnesota that saw him grab a TD but have multiple drops.

Adams has been absolutely abysmal this season, and somehow he topped that deluge of futility with this game. If the team could bench him for someone else, they should and would; too bad every other option is either injured or completely ineffective and/or untrustworthy (*cough* Janis *cough*).

Jones followed up a big game against Minnesota by doing nothing but being a target stat-wise. He did have a chance to win the game at the end — redeeming a putrid effort in the process — but he literally dropped it. To be fair, it wouldn’t have been an easy catch and it was poked away from his immediate grasp, but he himself has constantly spoken throughout these positional struggles that he and his fellow receivers need to step up and make those plays.

To say these guys are hard to trust fantasy-wise is a hefty understatement.

The only possible trustable player is Cobb (due to his top-target status on the wideout hierarchy in Green Bay) but he has done little with the catches he makes (those that he does catch;  he’s only brought in 53 of his 94 targets so far this season, with 7 drops).

I may predict that Adams could do something, but I’m finished thinking he’ll actually do it; he just hasn’t proven himself capable of even making a simple open catch anymore (as evidenced by his drop on what could have been a 47-yard TD catch against Chicago). Until he either finds confidence or a barrel of superglue to dip his hands in before every single play, stay away.

Nov 15, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver

(17) cannot catch a pass while defended by Detroit Lions cornerback

(28) in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Jones has definitely fallen off since a hot early stretch, but that was predictable since his totals were boosted mostly by touchdowns (which are notoriously fickle). Unless you see a TD coming his way, there isn’t much reason to think he’ll account for much here (my prediction is more off the fact that SOMEBODY has to get those predicted yards than Jones earning them).

Montgomery would be a nice boost to a depleted group, but he’s still likely out with his ankle injury. He didn’t exactly blow the doors off with his hyped explosiveness before, but it would be nice to have another warm body out there to at least qualify as a threat to replace the frozen husk that used to be Davante Adams if it isn’t revived soon.

Janis shows he has something to offer with his kick returns the past two weeks, but his practice tape (some of which was linked in one of our other Lombardi Ave articles earlier this week) shows he has a long way to go to earn even a smidgen of trust from the coaches to put him on the field.

Probably for the best; the next dropped pass by a receiver (Janis’ only contribution to that practice footage) may cause Wisconsinites to revolt.

Week 13 Predictions:
Cobb – 7 catches, 95 receiving yards; 9.50 fantasy points
Adams – 4 catches, 40 receiving yards; 4.00 fantasy points
Jones – 3 catches, 50 receiving yards; 5.00 fantasy points
Montgomery – Likely Out
Janis – 0 catches, 0 receiving yards; 0.00 fantasy points

Verdicts: Top Target (Cobb); Unreliable (Adams); Boom-Or-Bust (Jones); Slow Recovery (Montgomery); Gotta Earn Trust (Janis)

Next: Tight Ends