2024 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Green Bay Packers player outlooks, schedule, depth chart and more to know

Jordan Love took the Packers on a late-season run that saw them win six of their final eight games then defeat the Cowboys in the wild-card round. As the playoffs went along, it became increasingly more obvious that Love was gaining confidence as the Packers' starting quarterback. If he's able to pick up where he left off in the postseason, the Packers could find themselves atop the NFC North for quite some time.

Below the CBS Sports Fantasy staff will take a look into the Packers' entire team outlook including changes to the top of the depth chart that matter for Fantasy, a burning question for Fantasy Football managers that needs to be answered, a review of their draft class, strength of schedule, and individual player outlooks for all of the notable Packers players who may end up on your Fantasy rosters.

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Packers 2024 lineup changes

Burning question: Can Christian Watson stay healthy?

Watson played in just nine games last season. While others picked up the slack in his absence, he's the player in their receiver corps with superstar potential. At 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, Watson runs a 4.36 40-yard dash. When he's healthy, that speed translates to the field of play. Unfortunately, he's battled soft-tissue injuries that have limited his availability. In two years, Watson has missed 14 games due to hamstring injuries. As a rookie, Watson posted 611 yards and seven touchdowns on 41 receptions. Those numbers dropped last season as he put up just 422 yards and five touchdowns on 28 receptions. While Watson is talented enough to be the Packers' No. 1 receiver, it will be interesting to see if he can put together a full season for the first time in his career.  

2024 NFL Draft class

Packers 2024 schedule

Packers 2024 player outlooks

By Jamey Eisenberg and CBS Fantasy staff

QB Jordan Love

Love did more than hold his own in his first year as the starter in Green Bay in 2023. He proved to be a star, and Fantasy managers benefitted in a big way. This season, Love is worth drafting as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues. He's worth a mid-round pick in all one-quarterback leagues, and Love is a second or third-round pick in all Superflex and two-quarterback formats. Last year, Love took over for Aaron Rodgers and averaged 22.5 Fantasy points per game, including seven outings with at least 26.3 Fantasy points. He did an amazing job spreading the ball around to a diverse receiving corps that's loaded with talent, and all of those weapons return in 2024, hopefully with a fully healthy Christian Watson. Love will likely be drafted close to QB10 in the majority of leagues, and he could easily outproduce that value based on what he did in 2023. There's a lot to love about Love this year.  

QB Sean Clifford

Clifford is expected to be the No. 2 quarterback in Green Bay this season behind Jordan Love, but Clifford has minimal Fantasy value in that role. Clifford is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. In 2023, Clifford completed his only pass for 37 yards, and he isn't expected to see the field much if Love is healthy. Should Love miss any time due to injury then you can add Clifford off the waiver wire in most formats.

QB Michael Pratt

The Packers selected Pratt in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, and he will likely be the third quarterback in Green Bay this season. Pratt is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. Jordan Love is entrenched as the starter for the Packers, and Sean Clifford is the likely backup. At best, Pratt could compete with Clifford for the No. 2 role, but neither one will matter for Fantasy managers as long as Love is healthy.

RB Josh Jacobs

Jacobs is expected to be the featured back for the Packers and a candidate to be a top-12 Fantasy RB. While his 2023 season with the Raiders was marred by injuries and a preseason holdout, his 2022 was outstanding as he led the NFL in rushing yards. In that 2022 season, Jacobs handled 15-plus touches in 15 games, averaging 20.8 PPR points in those games (and 19.3 on the season). In 2023, he had 11 games with 15-plus touches and averaged 15.1 PPR points (13.9 for the season). As it is for most running backs, Jacobs has proven to be productive when in a position to get 15 or more touches. In Matt LaFleur's five years as Packers head coach, at least one running back has had at least 15 touches in 67 of 83 regular-season games. That workload should bode very well for Jacobs as long as he's healthy. A smart plan could be for a Fantasy manager to take the 26-year-old Jacobs anywhere from 18th to 30th overall, then grab rookie rusher MarShawn Lloyd as an insurance policy to lock up the Green Bay run game in case Jacobs misses time.  

RB MarShawn Lloyd

The Packers selected Lloyd in the third round of the NFL Draft, and he will compete for the No. 2 running back role in Green Bay this season. Lloyd is worth drafting with a late-round pick in redraft leagues, and he's a second-round pick in rookie-only drafts for Dynasty leagues. Josh Jacobs is the starter for the Packers this season, but Lloyd could be the primary backup ahead of AJ Dillon. But no matter where Lloyd is on the depth chart he should have the chance for touches in his rookie campaign. Last year, Lloyd had 116 carries for 820 yards and nine touchdowns at USC, along with 13 catches for 232 yards. He could eventually prove to be Green Bay's running back of the future, and hopefully, he'll be the No. 2 running back for the Packers in 2024. It's not a bad idea to view Lloyd as a lottery ticket should something happen to Jacobs this year.

RB AJ Dillon

Dillon is back with the Packers this season, but he has new running backs to contend with this year. Dillon is only worth drafting with a late-round pick in deeper Fantasy leagues. Aaron Jones is gone from Green Bay, but the Packers added Josh Jacobs and rookie MarShawn Lloyd this offseason. Jacobs will be the new starter, and Lloyd could also be ahead of Dillon on the depth chart. Dillon only averaged 7.8 PPR points per game in 2023 despite Jones missing six games and parts of others. It could be hard for Dillon to do much better than that this year if Jacobs and Lloyd stay healthy, but this is a running back corps to monitor in training camp. At best, Dillon could be No. 2 on the depth chart behind Jacobs, but it will likely take an injury for Dillon to be Fantasy relevant in the majority of leagues. If that scenario unfolds then just add Dillon off the waiver wire.

RB Emanuel Wilson

Wilson will compete for a role in Green Bay's backfield this season, but he's not expected to get many touches if everyone is healthy. Wilson is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. The Packers have Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd and AJ Dillon ahead of Wilson on the depth chart, and he's not likely to get much playing time in 2024. Last year, Wilson appeared in seven regular-season games, getting 14 carries for 85 yards and hauling in four of five targets for 23 yards. At best, you can add Wilson off the waiver wire if an injury occurs, but we'll see if he gets extended action in that scenario.

WR Jayden Reed

Reed emerged as the No. 1 receiver for the Packers during his rookie campaign in 2023, scoring 10 total touchdowns, and we'll see if he can build off that performance in Year 2. We like Reed as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and he's worth drafting as early as Round 6. Last year, Reed averaged 13.6 PPR points per game, and he scored at least 15 PPR points in seven of his final eight games to close the regular season. Green Bay has a crowded receiving corps, and most of Reed's production came when Christian Watson was dealing with hamstring problems, which are hopefully under control this season. That said, Reed was used in a variety of ways (he had 11 carries for 119 and two touchdowns), and he's someone Jordan Love should continue to rely on. We hope Reed doesn't take a step back in production, and he has the upside to be a top-20 Fantasy option in all leagues, especially if he can score double digits in touchdowns again this year.

WR Christian Watson

Watson is hopeful that the hamstring problems he's dealt with over the first two seasons of his career are behind him, and he can start playing at a high level in Year 3. When healthy, Watson could be the best receiver in Green Bay, and he's worth drafting as early as Round 7 in all leagues. Hamstring problems resulted in multi-game absences three times during Watson's first two NFL seasons, and he was also removed early from other contests with a concussion, chest injury, hip injury and back/chest injury. When healthy, Watson has produced some huge games, scoring at least 16.6 PPR points in seven of 23 games, and he has averaged at least 11.3 PPR points per game in each year of his career. The Packers have a loaded receiving corps with Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, but Watson has the highest ceiling of the group. Hopefully, he can stay healthy for most of 2024, and this could be a breakout season for him in his third year.

WR Romeo Doubs

Doubs enters this season as the likely No. 3 receiver in Green Bay, and he should be considered a No. 4 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. He's worth drafting with a late-round pick in all formats. In 2023, Doubs was mostly touchdown-dependent for much of his Fantasy production, scoring eight times. He averaged 10.3 PPR points per game but had nine games with 11 or more PPR points. However, only two of those games came when he didn't find the end zone, and he had 12 games with 37 yards or less and just three games with at least five receptions. He got more involved in the playoffs with 10 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets in two games, and hopefully, he can build off that performance. That said, the Packers have a crowded receiving corps with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, and Jordan Love loves to spread the ball around. Doubs is a good receiver to have on your bench to open the season, and hopefully the catches and yards match the touchdown production that he scored in 2023.  

WR Dontayvion Wicks

Wicks has the chance to be a vital part of Green Bay's passing attack this season, and he's worth drafting with a late-round pick in all leagues. We like Wicks as a No. 4 Fantasy receiver entering the season, but hopefully, he can develop into something more. The problem is the Packers have a loaded receiving corps with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs, and all three might be ahead of Wicks on the depth chart to open the year. He had a productive end to his rookie campaign, scoring at least 15.7 PPR points in three of his final four outings in the regular season. Most of that production came when Watson was sidelined, and Wicks was quiet in two playoff games with two catches for 25 yards and a touchdown on four targets. We like stashing Wicks on our bench, and hopefully, he can emerge as a top-30 Fantasy receiver as the season goes on.

WR Bo Melton

Melton should be considered the No. 5 receiver for the Packers, and he's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. At best, you can add Melton off the waiver wire during the year. Green Bay has a loaded receiving corps with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, and Melton will likely need an injury to one of them to be Fantasy relevant. In 2023, Melton came off the practice squad for the final four games of the season and scored at least 12.6 PPR points in two outings while the Packers were dealing with injuries to Watson, Reed and Wicks. We'll see if Melton can showcase his skills in training camp to earn a bigger role, but most likely he'll be a reserve for Green Bay until someone gets hurt.

TE Luke Musgrave

Musgrave should be considered the No. 1 tight end for the Packers this season, but he'll compete with Tucker Kraft for that role. We expect Musgrave to be the top tight end in Green Bay to open the season, and he's worth drafting with a late-round pick in all leagues. In 2023, Musgrave was the No. 1 tight end for the Packers early in the year before missing six games in a row with a lacerated kidney from Weeks 12-17. Before getting hurt, Musgrave scored at least 8.0 PPR points in five of 10 games. Along with Kraft, the Packers have a crowded receiving corps with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, and it could be tough for Musgrave to earn consistent targets. Plan on Musgrave as a No. 2 Fantasy tight end with the chance to be a low-end starter if things go well, and hopefully he can look like the tight end we saw early in 2023 before he got injured.

TE Tucker Kraft

Kraft is expected to open the season as the No. 2 tight end for the Packers, and he's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. He's also dealing with a pectoral injury that will keep him sidelined until the start of training camp. When healthy, Kraft will have to compete with Luke Musgrave for the starting tight end job in Green Bay, but we expect Musgrave to be first on the depth chart. Kraft did well as a rookie in 2023, but he didn't start to produce until Musgrave suffered a lacerated kidney in Week 12 and missed six games. Kraft showed the ability to play at a high level, scoring at least 10.0 PPR points in four of his final five games in the regular season, but he should struggle for playing time when Musgrave is healthy. At best, you can add Kraft off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.  

K Anders Carlson

Carlson will compete for the starting job in Green Bay this season, and he should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy kicker at best in the majority of leagues. Greg Joseph was brought in for competition for Carlson, and we'll see what the Packers decide to do with their starting kicker. As a rookie in 2023, Carlson made 27 of 33 field goals, including 3 of 5 from 50 yards, and 34 of 39 PATs. At best, Carlson should be added off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well and is the No. 1 kicker for Green Bay.

K Greg Joseph

Joseph signed with the Packers this offseason, and he will compete with Anders Carlson to be the starting kicker in Green Bay. If Joseph wins the job then he should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy kicker in the majority of leagues, and you can likely add him off waivers during the season. Joseph has spent the past three seasons in Minnesota, and his Fantasy production has declined each year, from 9.2 points in 2021 to 7.8 points in 2022 to 7.0 points last season. But he could see his stock rise with the Packers, and we'll see if he wins the job in training camp.

Packers DST

The Packers defense added three key pieces this offseason with safety Xavier McKinney and rookies Edgerrin Cooper (linebacker) and Javon Bullard (safety), and all three should play prominent roles right away. McKinney, Bullard, Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes will hopefully create more interceptions in the secondary since Green Bay only had seven interceptions in 2023, which was the second-fewest in the NFL. Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark lead the defensive front, and hopefully the Packers defense as a whole will improve across the board. But Fantasy managers should only consider the Packers DST a No. 2 option in the majority of leagues. Don't draft the Packers DST in most formats this year, but you can add the unit off waivers if the start of the season is productive in Green Bay.