Green Bay Packers Week 6 Fantasy profile
By Kenn Korb
WRs – Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery
Week 5 Statistics:
Nelson – 4 catches, 38 receiving yards, 1 TD; 9.80 fantasy points
Cobb – 9 catch, 108 receiving yards; 10.80 fantasy points
Adams – 5 catches, 85 receiving yards, 1 TD; 14.50 fantasy points
Montgomery – 1 rush, 1 yard; 0.10 fantasy points
Despite the continued struggles of the offense as a whole in Green Bay, the main wide receiver group had a pretty strong day in the fantasy realm.
Nelson may have come up with some drops (one of which turned into a tipped INT), but he was the recipient of the opening drive TD pass on an excellent diving catch.
Though his yardage wasn’t great, he wasn’t far off on some of those plays and continues to garner plenty of looks from his quarterback (40 targets in 4 games — including 13 against New York).
Cobb finally had the breakout game we’ve been waiting for from him. After producing below expectations going back to early in 2015, he became a focal point again.
He was just under double-digit receptions, with his final catch sealing the victory and putting him over 100 yards on the night.
He also would have broken his TD-less streak if not for offsetting penalties on his presumed TD catch early in the game.
Adams game may have been just as impactful (if not moreso) than Cobb’s, though not all on the stat sheet.
He made a pretty nice TD catch of his own to help put Green Bay up 14-3, and continues to earn more of Rodgers’ trust with each passing week.
Something that helps: on a couple of his QB’s more errant throws, he managed to get his hand in to bat down what appeared to almost surely be interceptions.
With the gameplan for the Packers lining up to be pass-heavy for numerous reasons, each of these three should get a handful of chances to make plays.
In terms of fantasy production, I feel like of the group we are likely to see at least two of these guys make sizable impacts.
While Jordy is the clear #1 option for Rodgers, this may be a week to look elsewhere.
As mentioned before, the Dallas defense can be beaten with the pass, but Nelson is likely matched up against a resurgent Morris Claiborne.
That resurgence is somewhat overhyped (I’ve seen some places saying he’s playing like one of the best CB’s in the league; he’s done well, but not THAT well), but he’s done well enough to be a nuisance — especially if he has consistent help from his safeties over the top (Dallas is #9 in Defensive DVOA versus #1 receivers in part due to those aspects).
With that taken into account, the options Dallas can send to guard Cobb and Adams aren’t nearly as good. Brandon Carr has long been a bust of a high-priced free agent signing in Dallas, so Adams should be able to make some plays on him. Cobb should especially make hay in this matchup, with Dallas being particularly susceptible to the kind of short routes he has routinely carved out (#25 in Defensive DVOA versus short passes).
Lastly, I get to an intriguing possibility here with Montgomery.
Even with an expected heavy dosage of passing, Green Bay won’t fully abandon the run.
Injuries to Lacy and James Starks (who won’t be suiting up due to a meniscus tear) — the only two pure running backs on the roster — put any production from that area in peril, however.
Keeping the defense honest (and not allowing them to constantly load up on bodies in coverage to muck up potential spacing) will be much desired, but Lacy likely won’t be able to do that all on his own; even if he garners yardage in chunks, his ankle injury will likely require him to rest at least every now and then.
With no Starks, when Lacy isn’t getting carries somebody else has to step in, but the options are limited. Ripkowski could see a few carries, but he isn’t someone we should likely expect to have a high workload outside of short-yardage situations and still be productive.
Past him, however, Cobb and Montgomery both could be guys used in the backfield more.While Cobb likely gets first look between the two, this could be an excellent chance for the Packers to get an under-utilized player onto the field more.
Montgomery’s two carries so far this year have gone for exactly zero yards, but if he is given a legitimate opportunity back there, those numbers could drastically improve.
Give the man 10 to 12 snaps back there, work him as a runner and a screen option, and we may see this offense stumble into a new dynamic weapon for their arsenal.
I wouldn’t risk playing him this week, but watch him; if things work out, he could in effect become Green Bay’s version of Darren Sproles going forward.
Depending on your fantasy league and upcoming matchups, he may turn into a wild-card piece for you.