Before we look at next season, let’s take a look at the NFL target leaders from 2022. In the table below are the top 5 leaders in targets from last year. The first four finished in the same exact order in terms of total fantasy points amongst wide receivers (Half PPR). The only anomaly was A.J. Brown who jumped CeeDee Lamb and finished 5th in total fantasy points. Brown finished with 2 more touchdowns and 137 more yards.

2022 NFL Target Leaders

Predicting the Target Leaders for 2023-2024

Looking ahead to next season we can almost guarantee the top 5 target leaders will look different. For instance, in 2021 Cooper Kupp was the NFL target leader by a large margin +22. As we know Kupp suffered a serious ankle injury that cut his 2022 season short. Injuries aren’t the only factor to consider. Quarterback changes, coaching changes, free agency and the NFL Draft are all factors. Let’s now look at who I predict will be the NFL target leaders for next season.

2023 NFL Target Leaders (Projected)

Justin Jefferson will once again be the king of targets. I slotted his targets down but only slightly. This is due to the Minnesota Vikings adding Jordan Addison in the draft. It will take some time to get Addison up to speed but once he’s ready he should be productive in this offense. Also, keep in mind that Adam Thielen is no longer with the team.

Stefon Diggs will make the jump from #4 to #2 overall in targets. I am predicting 14 more targets for Diggs as he and Josh Allen continue to develop their chemistry. If somehow the Buffalo Bills end up grabbing DeAndre Hopkins I may re-adjust Diggs’ total targets.

Tyreek Hill‘s targets will drop but not by much. He will once again be the focal point in the Miami Dolphins offense. One major thing to keep an eye on is the health of Tua Tagovailoa. Can he stay healthy the entire season?

Next up it’s our first newcomer on the list. Garrett Wilson finished just outside the top 5 last year in total targets. Now with the addition of Aaron Rodgers, I expect his numbers to climb. I am not worried about Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb taking targets away. Wilson is the Jets #1 WR and they will continue to lean on him.

Last on the list is the always reliable Travis Kelce. Kelce finished 6th last season in total targets with 152. I expect him to hover around this range again in 2023-2024. The Chiefs no longer have JuJu Smith-Schuster and still lack a true #1 receiver. All that means is more target share for the great tight end.

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RB D’Andre Swift Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles

Many people were wondering what the Lions were doing when they drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round when they already had D’Andrew Swift and signed David Montgomery. Now we know that D’Andre Swift had requested a trade and he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. The rich keep getting richer as the Eagles now boast the most talented team in the NFL. In terms of fantasy performance, expect D’Andre Swift’s performance to dip as the Eagles are loaded in the RB position. The Eagles will most likely spread around the reps as they have Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott.

QB Jordan Love Gets Paid and is Now the Face of Green Bay

Now that the hoopla in Green Bay is over, the Jordan Love era finally begins in Green Bay. Love had waited his turn and can finally be called the starting QB of the Packers. His patience was rewarded when the Packers gave him a contract extension of up to $22.5 million, $13.5 million guaranteed. This offseason will be crucial for him and we will see which of the receivers are building a great connection with him.

WR Randall Cobb Follows Aaron Rodgers to New York

Another pal of Aaron Rodgers is going to the Jets as they have signed Randall Cobb to a one-year deal. This gives added security to the wide receiver core of the Jets as they have Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and other weapons. With the Jets using what Rodgers loves on offense, Cobb ill be a good mentor to the younger ones to get them up to speed with the playbook. I don’t expect much from Cobb with all the names ahead of him. But he could have some vintage performances with Rodgers.

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PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

Christian Watson was drafted in the 2nd round by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL Draft. He came out of North Dakota State University so fans weren’t sure what to expect from him because of the limited coverage. Numbers have shown that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t do well with rookie wide receivers.

DRAFT EXPECTATIONS

Watson’s ADP in fantasy drafts had him at 155.7 or a late-round pick. This was equivalent to the 59th WR taken. Owners were unsure what to do with him as there was news of Aaron Rodgers calling out his young receivers early on. People were higher on Allen Lazard as the projected top WR for the Packers.

OVERALL SEASON PRODUCTION

It was an up-and-down season for Christian Watson as the highest of highs made him look like the Green Bay WR 1 of the future. The lowest of the lows saw him on the sidelines as his snap percentage decreased. Injuries did affect him as he missed three weeks. He remained healthy after Week 7. In half of the games he played, he accounted for less than 10 FP while he had an explosive stretch that shocked everyone. He ended as the 41st WR overall but things are murky in Green Bay as the QB situation is still unclear.

CRITICAL MOMENTS DURING THE SEASON

Week 10 vs Dallas Cowboys

It had been a disappointing season so far for Watson as he hadn’t scored in double digits to start his young career. That all changed in a shocker in Week 10. Against the stout Dallas defense, Christian exploded out of nowhere. He caught four passes for 107 yards and three TDs. His first TD reception was a 58-yard pass from Rodgers to tie it at 7-7. He scored another on a 39-yard pass with 13 mins left in the fourth quarter. His last TD was a seven-yard catch to tie the game at 28. His potential was on full display here. He ended the game with 32.70 FP.

Week 12 vs Philadelphia Eagles

After two straight great games for Watson, many were on board as Green Bay took on Philadelphia. The Eagles also had no answer for the rookie WR. Watson made it a game when he caught a 63-yard TD pass from Jordan Love with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. Christian ended the game with four catches for a season-high 110 yards and a TD.

Week 13 vs Chicago Bears

His last great game in this four-game stretch pitted him against the Chicago Bears. What made this game special was him on the run as he scored a 46-yard rushing TD. Maybe in the future, he can have more plays like this designed for him, especially with his size. Fantasy owners were pleased by his performance.

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It was an up and down year for Rodgers and the Packers. Early on the team really missed Davante Adams in the passing game as many predicted they would. Allen Lazard was supposed to step into that WR1 role but he is better suited as the WR2. They drafted two talented Rookies in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs but they struggled to adjust to the NFL game. Dropped passes were the big issue especially with Watson. Once they got comfortable the Packers offense really took off and helped lead the way during their win streak.

Rodgers finished 2022 with a respectable 91.1 quarterback rating, he tossed 26 touchdowns and passed for 3695 yards. The 39 year old clearly still has the arm as it was on full display Sunday night when he connected on a 45 yard bomb to Christian Watson. This was also his longest completion of the season. Still despite the success you could see the signs of the up and down year wearing on him. These signs along with the roller coaster of a season lead me to believe Aaron Rodgers will retire in 2023.

Off the field Rodgers is still one of the most polarizing NFL players in the league. He is not afraid to speak his mind on a variety of topics and is often at the center of heated discussions on social media. Many often ask, who is Aaron Rodgers girlfriend? That has also been the topic of debate over the years. He is most recently linked to Mallory Edens, the daughter of Milwaukee Bucks owner Wes Edens. Regardless of what you think of him off the field there is no denying his on the field success during his career. He has played at an MVP level during the last 5 years and almost certainly will be a future hall of famer. We will see how this plays out and if Aaron Rodgers will retire. If he does he will go down as one of the top 10 quarterbacks of all time.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers famously shipped away Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, but they still have a talented and young wide receiver group. The Pack features Allen Lazard, Christian Watson, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins. Lazard had a monster eight touchdown receptions last season. He will aspire to have a touchdown count similar to James Jones’s TD figure in 2012: 14 TD receptions. Lazard recently inked his restricted tender — which means he will earn $3.986 million in the 2022 season.

They will anticipate Watson making a splash impact in his first season. Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk believes Watson could even be the best rookie WR. Simms expressed that his combination of size and speed could help him dominate and follow in the steps of DK Metcalf, AJ Brown, or Chase Claypool as the next second-round WR stud.

Watkins might be regarded as a Week 1 legend, but he should feel confident in seeking lots of splash plays with A-Rod moving forward. He ousted nine touchdowns in 2015 and eight TDs in 2017, but he hasn’t been able to unveil more than three touchdown receptions since 2017. Rodgers should look to help Watkins burn opposing defenses deep down the field in the MVS-less offense.

Of course, Cobb will also look to help A-Rod ride off into the sunset. He recorded five touchdowns (his most since 2016) in his return to Green Bay last season. PFF even gave Cobb a stout 72.0 grade for his 2021 performance.

Rodgers may not have Tae, but he will still stride for his third straight MVP trophy with his current crew of WRs. Perhaps Watson can win OROY and Cobb will score a game-clinching touchdown against the Vikings or Bears next season.

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