Team Profile
Green Bay Packers
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17.3% 4thOff DVOA
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38.5% 3rdPassing DVOA
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7.8% 3rdRushing DVOA
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-7% 7thDef DVOA
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0.4% 9thDef Passing DVOA
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-17.4% 7thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For27.1 8th
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Points Against19.9 6th
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Yards Per Game370.0 5th
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Yards Allowed Per Game315.0 5th
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs looks to keep his awesome run going in Week 16 as the Packers host the New Orleans Saints. Jacobs has been on fire over the last five games, where he's scored nine touchdowns and averages 21 carries and 112 total yards per game. The Packers have been leaning more and more towards the run in the second half of this season as Green Bay has a bottom-five pass rate over expected. The expectation for Jacobs to continue that rushing volume is there against a Saints team that ranks 28th in defensive EPA per rush attempt. With this excellent matchup looming, it should be no surprise that Jacobs is a must-start option at running back for fantasy managers this week.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has a great matchup on tap as the Packers host the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. Love has been solid this season, but for fantasy purposes, it's left fantasy managers wanting a bit more. With just one top 12 finish among fantasy quarterbacks in the last four weeks, Love has been a floor play in fantasy despite multiple touchdowns in three of those four weeks. The lack of passing volume and increasing willingness to lean into the run with Josh Jacobs has impacted the fantasy viability of not just Love, but Green Bay's pass-catchers too. With a great matchup against the Saints who give up the seventh-highest passing yards per game this season, Love is a low-end fantasy starting quarterback, but realistically, he's more of a streaming candidate for Week 16.
Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (ankle) put in another day with a limited practice on Friday. The Packers will face the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 16, so Green Bay will have one more day of practice on Saturday. Since having his 21-day practice window opened to return from Injured Reserve, the 24-year-old has practiced on a limited basis five times. Unless he upgrades to a full session on Saturday, it's possible the Packers keep Musgrave on IR for another week. Musgrave has looked good in practice this week, but Green Bay has no incentive to rush him back and risk him not being 100 percent for the playoffs in four weeks. Even when Musgrave returns, he'll play second fiddle to starting tight end Tucker Kraft and will be off the fantasy radar. In four games before going on IR, Musgrave caught five of his seven targets for 22 yards and a touchdown.
The Green Bay Packers are not ready to rule out the possibility of running back MarShawn Lloyd (appendix) returning to action this season. When discussing Lloyd with the media on Thursday, head coach Matt LaFleur said, "I never want to shut the door on that. ... He's just going to focus on continuing to get better and when he can go, he'll go." The 23-year-old has endured a frustrating start to his NFL career, appearing in just one game so far. The rookie played back in Week 2, rushing six times for 15 yards on the ground while adding a three-yard reception. Lloyd remains a key part of the Packers' future plans, but the chances of him getting back on the field before fantasy playoffs conclude are slim. He should be dropped in all redraft formats and stashed in dynasty leagues.
Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (ankle) was a limited participant in practice on Thursday. The 24-year-old remains on injured reserve, but it looks like he's gradually getting closer to returning given that he was able to practice in a limited capacity. He has been sidelined since Week 4, leaving Green Bay's tight end room in the more-than-capable hands of Tucker Kraft, who is the overall TE8 in fantasy football this year. Even when he's cleared to return to play, Musgrave will be off the fantasy radar in all leagues.