Packers: Christian Watson trending in wrong direction in Week 3 vs. Saints

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has missed the opening two games of the regular season due to a hamstring injury, and he is trending in the wrong direction for Week 3.

In Watson's absence, first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love has leaned on Romeo Doubs and rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Reed and Wicks combined for three touchdown catches last week against the Atlanta Falcons.

If Watson is unable to go in Week 3, the Packers will need another big performance from their young receiving corps to get past a talented New Orleans Saints defense. Unfortunately, the signs don't look great for Watson's availability on Sunday.

Christian Watson injury update: Packers receiver trending in wrong direction for Week 3

Things looked encouraging on Wednesday. Watson was a limited participant, which followed on from his return to practice late last week. However, he is now trending in the wrong direction.

According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Watson didn't practice on Thursday.

It's never a good sign when a player dealing with a soft-tissue injury returns to practice but then has to sit out the following day. It could just be the Packers managing him as he recovers, but the hope is that he hasn't suffered a setback.

Regardless of the reason, Watson missing practice on Thursday shows the hamstring injury is still an issue, and that's not good news entering Week 3.

The Packers play next Thursday night, so the short turnaround could play a part in this. They may see Week 4 as a more realistic return for Watson, and giving him extra recovery time this week could help.

We'll get a better idea as the week goes on, but Watson practicing on Wednesday and then sitting out on Thursday isn't a great sign for Week 3.

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