7 Packers whose stock is soaring entering the playoffs

Rasheed Walker

Rasheed Walker deserves so much credit. The Packers selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After a year of development with no game time, Walker became Green Bay's starting left tackle in Week 2 this season following David Bakhtiari's injury.

Walker was thrown into the most important position along the offensive line with no NFL experience. And it showed early on. Walker struggled, but he kept battling. He has absolutely dominated down the stretch. Matt LaFleur split snaps between Walker and Yosh Nijman at one stage, but Walker's improved performances ensured he won the midseason positional battle.

And he hasn't looked back. According to ESPN, Walker has a 96 percent pass block win rate, which ties Trent Williams and Brian O'Neill for No. 1 in the NFL. Outstanding.

Preston Smith

While opposing offenses prepare for Rashan Gary, Preston Smith is reminding everyone how good he is. Over the past three games, Smith has 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and forced a fumble. While he didn't register a sack or QB hit in Week 18 against the Bears, Smith still impacted the game by regularly pressuring Justin Fields.

Smith was already having a good season, but he has taken his game up a level in the past few weeks. The Packers will need him to put in another dominant performance to find success against an excellent Cowboys offensive line.

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