Sign Up
for the
Green Bay Packers Top 5 Fantasy Football Players to Target
Top 5 Green Bay Packers Fantasy Football Players to Target
The Green Bay Packers will look to have another successful season in 2013 and their strong offense will be the main source of that success. Head Coach Mike McCarthy will look to better last season’s performance and push his group further into the playoffs.
The defense and special teams units for the Packers have not been a highlight for Green Bay in recent years, so most owners will not likely be drafting this group very high, if at all. However, there is something to be said for the defensive troop who managed to post double digit fantasy points in six different weeks in the 2012 season. Also, the group managed to pull down 18 interceptions and score four touchdowns. But the real fantasy heroes from the Packers come from the offensive side of the ball.
Another position that has been rocky over the years for the Packers is running back. The team used their late second round pick to draft Eddie Lacy out of Alabama. Lacy was drafted after a season in which no single Packer running back rushed for over 500 yards. Ryan Grant had been expected to lead the Green Bay backfield, but he only appeared in four games and the Packers played running back by committee. Because of a lack of touches, you may or may not see one of the Packers’ running backs on this list.
The Packers’ long time number one receiving option was Greg Jennings, who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. You can read about Jennings’ rough 2012 season and the likelihood of him rebounding in 2013 in my slideshow. Without Jennings, many teams would be scrambling to replace the standout wide receiver, but the Packers’ receiving corps is one of the strongest in the league. You can bet your bottom dollar that at least one of those other receivers will show up on this list.
Alas, enough with the postponement. It is time to get down to business and start the top five list of Green Bay Packers fantasy players you will want to target for the 2013 season.
Isaac Comelli is a Los Angeles Dodgers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @IsaacComelli, “Like” him on Facebook or follow him on Google+.
No. 5 Eddie Lacy – RB – Rookie
Surprise! Eddie Lacy did end up on this list after all. I know I will probably take some heat for placing Lacy on this list, but I have my reasons. My fellow writer at Rant Sports, Adam McGill, wrote a nice piece about why Ryan Grant and Alex Green are in the past and Lacy is the present and future of the Packers’ running game.
Now, it is time for my reasons why Lacy made this list. Lacy was one of three finalists for the 2012 Doak Walker Award which is handed out to the nation’s best college running back. Accumulating over 1,300 yards in his only season as the feature back for the Crimson Tide, Lacy was a force to be reckoned with in college football. The 5-foot-11, 231 pound bulldozer has the potential to be a star in professional football, but being on such a pass oriented offense will hurt his fantasy output.
No. 4 Jermichael Finley – TE – 6th Year
Jermichael Finley is the go-to option at tight end for the Packers. Even though his touchdowns dropped down to only two in 2012, his 2011 result of eight touchdowns shows that he can get into the end zone and score. I expect Finley’s 2013 season to be a happy medium with around six touchdowns and 700 yards. That would have been enough to place him in the top seven of all fantasy tight ends last season.
No. 3 Randall Cobb – WR – 3rd Year
As I mentioned before, the Packers’ receiving corps is loaded, even after losing veterans Greg Jennings and the ageless wonder, Donald Driver. Randall Cobb is one of the reasons this troop of wide receivers will not slump in 2013. Cobb finished 2012 just eight points outside of the top 15 wide receivers in fantasy football. With Jennings and Driver out of the picture, Cobb will look to move up that list and probably into the top 10 in 2013.
No. 2 James Jones – WR – 7th Year
The leading fantasy point getter for the Packers’ receiving corps last season was none other than James Jones. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver from San Jose, Calif. managed to pull down an amazing 14 touchdowns, trailing only the Houston Texans' Arian Foster by one in the whole NFL for touchdowns scored. Coupled with almost 800 receiving yards, Jones made a name for himself in Green Bay despite not being considered the featured receiver. Look for him to repeat in 2013 with another big year.
No. 1 Aaron Rodgers – QB – 9th Year
It is almost disappointingly obvious to have Aaron Rodgers at the top of my list, but the quarterback and leader of the Packers truly deserves the honor. Rodgers had another sizzling year, throwing for over 4,000 yards for the fourth time in his career. Although his numbers dropped a bit from his career-high year in 2011, Rodgers’ 2012 stats are nothing to take lightly. The perennial Pro Bowler consistently puts up huge numbers and you will not want to miss out on Rodgers if you have the chance to take him in your draft.
I know what a lot of you must be thinking. “How in the world did Jordy Nelson not make this list?” It was a tough choice, but I had to go with my instincts. I would love to hear you rip into me about why Nelson deserved to be on here or to read your comments on the list in general.
