Green Bay Packers Week 5 insight into Fantasy profiles
By Kenn Korb
QB – Aaron Rodgers
Week 3 Statistics:
15/24, 205 passing yards, 4 passing TD, 22 rushing yards; 26.40 fantasy points
After relative struggles in recent games, we finally saw Aaron Rodgers produce more in the way we have grown accustomed to throughout his career.
Something that is notable though is despite his strong overall game, he didn’t put up much yardage, and that has been a trend that has continued since last season.
In all of Rodgers’ seasons prior to 2015 (including his injury-shortened 2013), he garnered more 300+ passing yard games (his lowest was 4, during both 2008 and 2013) than we saw in all 18 games (including playoffs) he participated in during 2015 (3). If we drop the threshold to only 250+ passing yards, he still came up short; he had only 7 in 2015, tying his 2013 number but falling multiple games short of any full year.
To start 2016 this trend has continued, even with the offensive outpouring in the first half of that game: in these first three contests, his highest output is just 213 yards. With the way the offense has tended to combine scoring drives with quick 3-&-outs in the past couple years, it makes some sense as to why those numbers might not be all that high even when Green Bay puts up points and wins.
While I think the offense discovered something that was missing during their onslaught in the first half against the Lions, the inconsistency we’ve seen far too often since 2015 is likely to continue to sprout its ugly head at times, cutting out drives before they go anywhere and capping the yardage totals for the offense even if they end up with a decent scoring output.
Rodgers should still have a decent day due to tossing some TDs, but he could be forced into a couple turnovers as well. His former position coach now leads the Giants — undoubtedly he will remember some of his tendencies and prepare his defense accordingly.
Beyond the head coach, New York also has defenders in the front four and on the back end who could make things tough. Olivier Vernon is great at applying pressure at one end spot, and Jason Pierre-Paul is more than capable of doing damage of his own; if either can get by the Bakhtiari/Bulaga tackle combo on the edge and get some hits on Rodgers, we could see a fumble or two.
If there is good pressure up front, Janoris Jenkins likes jumping routes and could grab himself a pick if Rodgers isn’t given the kind of time he needs for his receivers’ routes to develop and get them open.
All in all, it’s hard to not say he’s still worth starting in any league, but understand his production isn’t likely to be exceptional, just good.