The Green Bay Packers are 2-1-1 entering their bye, a solid record, albeit one that feels disappointing. They came out hot, beating fellow NFC contenders like the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. However, that was followed by an upset loss to the Cleveland Browns and a tie with the Dallas Cowboys, a pair of inferior opponents.
Green Bay's stout defense, led by offseason superstar acquisition Micah Parsons, has masked some of the club's weak spots. Nevertheless, the glaring lack of a true go-to wide receiver for franchise quarterback Jordan Love continues to rear its ugly head. The Packers have a potential in-house solution to the problem, depending on how head coach Matt LaFleur proceeds after the break.
Will 2025 No. 23 overall selection Matthew Golden get the iconic post-bye rookie bump treatment? Or will Doubs continue to operate as the head of a notoriously frustrating position committee? That's one of the most difficult conundrums for LaFleur ahead of Green Bay's next game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Doubs should be Green Bay's de facto No. 1 receiver moving forward if the first quarter of this season is any indication. He and tight end Tucker Kraft have done an admirable job of producing at a higher level than the sum of their parts. Yet, Golden's development and anticipated improvement will surely factor into LaFleur's decision-making process.
Let's not forget that Golden is the first wideout the Packers took in the first round in over two decades (23 years, to be exact). He wasn't born yet when Green Bay chose Javon Walker in 2003. That tidbit alone should tell you how strongly the team's general manager, Brian Gutekunst, and the front office feel about the former Texas standout's talent.
Lofty draft pedigree aside, Doubs has been a more effective player than Golden by several advanced metrics. Let's compare their average separation scores (ASS), yards/targets per route run (Y/TPRR), first-read target share (1READ%) and first down per route rates (1D/RR).
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Romeo Doubs | Matthew Golden |
|---|---|
0.152 ASS | 0.150 ASS |
1.79 YPRR | 1.50 YPRR |
0.19 TPRR | 0.17 TPRR |
20.3 1READ% | 15.2 1READ% |
.110 1D/RR | 0.48 1D/RR |
Note: Stats courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite.
Translation: Doubs is doing a better job of making himself available for Love and is more productive with his opportunities than Golden. LaFleur may be tempted to stray away from the unsexy veteran for the newcomer with oodles of potential and upside. But the numbers indicate staying the course could be in the Packers' best interests, at least for now.