As indicated by the statistics, the optics and the pricing in this weekend’s Showdown slate on DraftKings, when it comes to Green Bay’s wide receiver corps, it’s Davante Adams and everyone else. Really, it’s almost comical how involved Adams is in the Packers’ offensive structure. The veteran wideout was targeted on a massive 29% of his routes run in 2019-20 - easily the highest mark of any WR still alive in the playoffs. Even more hilarious is the fact that, despite missing four games, Adams finished the regular season with 127 targets, more than double the amount of Green Bay’s second most-targeted receiver. The man is a machine.
However, “you should pay up for Adams” isn’t exactly fantasy football advice that’s going to get me a Pulitzer Prize anytime soon. Everyone knows that. The more interesting debate is whether or not the Packers might have two viable WRs working this weekend against the Seahawks. Truth be told, the answer seems quite clear. Though Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison were both given opportunities to cut their teeth with larger workloads in Adams’ absence earlier in the year, neither really took advantage. As such, they’ve appeared to lose their standing in the mind of Matt LaFleur, who has obviously favored Allen Lazard down the stretch of the season. In fact, while Allison hasn’t recorded more than 21 yards receiving in a game since Week 7 and Valdes-Scantling hasn’t generated more than two catches since Week 4, Lazard’s played at least 70% of the Packers’ offensive snaps in three-straight weeks. His usage in that span is notable, too. Lazard has 20 targets to his name dating back to Week 15.
Fantasy Football Analysis: Packers WRs Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Geronimo Allison
In a somewhat ironic twist, the key thing that keeps Lazard on the field is also what limits his upside. According to Pro Football Focus, Lazard is one of the NFL’s premiere run-blocking wide receivers and he’s proven to be a vital part of Green Bay’s ground game. Unfortunately, the Packers’ rushing attack has been so stout that only 42.9% of the team’s touchdowns in their past three contests have come through the air, while Aaron Rodgers has mustered just two multi-touchdown performances since Week 9. Lazard is definitely the most viable option of Green Bay’s secondary WRs, but his ceiling is still underwhelming with how the Packers’ red zone offense has functioned as of late.
Start/Sit Recommendation
Start Lazard. Sit Valdes-Scantling. Sit Allison.