Packers fantasy football outlook: Rodgers should cook vs. Lions

Is this Green Bay Packers offense for real? The unit, led by Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, looked explosive in the Packers’ 43-34 victory over Minnesota on Sunday, and probably paved the way to victory for your fantasy football team as well.

So, which Green Bay players should you start in Week 2? And are there any Detroit Lions worth taking a chance on? We are here to help. Each week during the regular season we’ll give our fantasy advice for the Packers and their opponent.

Players are graded on a 1-5 scale of football emojis, from “don’t even think about starting him” (?) to “you’re a fool if you bench this guy” (?????).

GREEN BAY PACKERS

QB Aaron Rodgers: ?????

All those storylines about Rodgers being washed up and the Packers offense allowing its air attack to decay were debunked in Week 1. This weekend, the matchup is even more favorable. Since 2016, Rodgers has averaged 310.6 passing yards and three scores per game against Detroit’s secondary. This is a Lions defense which just allowed Mitchell Trubisky to throw for 242 yards, three scores and no picks last week. We like No. 12’s chances.

RB Aaron Jones: ????

While Jones only lined up for 42 of the Packers’ 78 offensive snaps last week, he saw a carry or a target on 52.3% of those plays. In simpler terms, his role as the primary running back is safe. Detroit allowed the third-most receiving yards to running backs in 2019 and the seventh-most fantasy points to the position.

RB A.J. Dillon: ?

Last week, we wrote “beware of the rookie running back.” Sure enough, the second-round pick saw two carries for 14 yards. Jones, Jamaal Williams and even Tyler Ervin were given more playing time at running back. We’re benching Dillon until he consistently gets more work.

WR Davante Adams: ?????

Adams was targeted 17 times on Sunday, more than any other NFL receiver. He should feast against a Detroit secondary that has its three cornerbacks yet to practice this week, all due to hamstring injuries, although first-round pick Jeff Okudah is expected to make his NFL debut against Green Bay. In 2019, Adams averaged 116.5 yards and a score in two matchups against Detroit. He might have the best Week 2 matchup of any receiver in the league, period.

WR Allen Lazard: ???

Clearly Rodgers’ second option behind Adams, Lazard was on the field for 87% of the Packers’ snaps – 33% more than Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Lazard only saw four targets but caught all of them, giving Rodgers consistency at the position that Valdes-Scantling can’t (more on that below). Lazard found the end zone in both matchups against the Lions last season. Lining up against a defense which yielded the sixth-most touchdowns to wide receivers last season, there should be plenty of opportunities for Lazard this week.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling: ??

While Valdes-Scantling posted a solid stat line against the Vikings — 96 yards and a score — let’s not get too excited. He had two horrific drops in the first half, which will not exactly earn the trust of Rodgers long-term. One positive — Valdes-Scantling did get targeted on 31.7% of the Packers’ air yards in Week 1, trailing just Adams (42%) on Green Bay. So, if you’re looking for a boom-or-bust player this weekend, Valdes-Scantling is your guy. But be careful.

TE Marcedes Lewis: ?

If you’re starting Lewis at tight end this week, we hope your team is stacked elsewhere. Tight end Robert Tonyan played more snaps (62%) than Lewis (41%) in Week 1, and Josiah Deguara was the only Packers tight end to catch a pass. Nothing to see here.

Packers D/ST: ??

Green Bay has sacked Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford multiple times in three of its last four meetings, including a trio of takedowns last October. However, the Packers haven’t intercepted a Stafford pass since 2017. Plus, the defense was exposed in garbage time last week, allowing Kirk Cousins to throw for 164 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter. We expect Green Bay to be ahead for much of Sunday’s matchup, so the garbage time points scare us once more. That chalks up to be a two-football rating.

DETROIT LIONS

QB Matthew Stafford: ??

Stafford’s status as a fantasy-relevant quarterback heavily relies on Kenny Golladay. In 2019, Stafford led the NFL by throwing 22% of his passes for at least 20 yards. Last week when Golladay was inactive, he threw only three passes for 20+ yards. While we loved watching former Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus collect a team-high 10 targets last week, we’ll be sticking Stafford on the bench until Golladay is healthy for good.

RB Adrian Peterson: ??

This man is still playing football? You betcha. Peterson, a thorn in Green Bay’s side since he was drafted seventh overall by Minnesota in 2007, signed with the Lions right before the start of the season and rushed 14 times for 93 yards in his Detroit debut. But don’t worry, it’s not 2012 anymore. The Lions will continue to play Peterson, rookie D’Andre Swift and Kerryon Johnson in a rotation, so Peterson is at best a FLEX play this week.

WR Marvin Jones Jr.: ??

As the featured receiver last week with Golladay out, Jones was targeted eight times but managed just four catches for 55 yards. Meh. In his last two matchups with Green Bay, Jones has logged a combined three receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown.

TE T.J. Hockenson: ???

Hockenson tallied five catches for 56 yards and a score last week while occasionally lining up in the slot. Green Bay did allow the sixth-most red-zone receptions to tight ends last season, so the former Iowa standout could find pay dirt once again.