Tonyan is expected to handle a greater role as a pass catcher Thursday in Arizona with receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard having been ruled out for the game following their placements on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Green Bay could be without its top three wide receivers Week 8, as Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hamstring) still resides on injured reserve and is no lock to be activated ahead of Thursday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for transactions. Even if Valdes-Scantling suits up, he'll likely be available for only a limited role after failing to practice this week, so the Packers appear prepared to enter the contest with Tonyan, running back Aaron Jones and wideouts Randall Cobb and Equanimeous St. Brown as the most established targets in the passing game for Aaron Rodgers. The absence of Adams -- whose 33.2 percent target share ranks second in the NFL to only the Rams' Cooper Kupp (33.6 percent) -- is particularly notable, and could put Tonyan in position to deliver his best fantasy line of season. While Adams was sidelined Weeks 3 and 4 of the 2020 season, Tonyan produced an 11-148-4 receiving line on 11 targets.