The Green Bay Packers are short on receivers heading into Thursday Night Football vs. the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. WRs Davante Adams and Allen Lazard are going to be out after testing positive for Covid-19. Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s status is still up in the air. Is this the breakout game for Robert Tonyan we’ve all been waiting for?
Fantasy Football analysis: Packers TE Robert Tonyan
Bobby Tonyan hasn’t had the breakout season we all anticipated. The Packers just refuse to set up plays designed to get Tonyan in space. He doesn’t get the type of elite target volume for a TE1 and as a result, has been a relative bust so far this season. He only has two TDs through seven games after scoring 11 TDs in the regular season in 2020. Tonyan has only been targeted 25 times this season, less than 5 per game.
Despite all of these negative stats for Tonyan, the Packers will need him in Week 8. The Cardinals boast the top record in the NFL and have an explosive offense with Kyler Murray and the receiving core. If Arizona goes up, the Packers will be forced to throw. Aaron Rodgers is a dome QB and will have to look for Tonyan.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
This has to be the spot. Tonyan should get the target volume and red zone looks in this game to warrant being a TE1. The game script is a positive either way. The lack of depth at WR means Tonyan will have to step up. In PPR, he feels like a strong play since he wouldn’t be TD reliant. In standard formats, Tonyan is a good streaming option and has upside if he can get into the end zone.