Christian Watson

Watson got the boom-or-bust label coming out of FCS North Dakota State in 2022 and landing with Green Bay at No. 34 overall. It turns out he's been both, with health the main issue rather than being overwhelmed by NFL competition. Watson had a minor knee surgery before training camp his rookie year, then missed Weeks 3, 6 and 7 with hamstring injuries. He didn't take a full-time role until Week 10 when fellow rookie Romeo Doubs was sidelined by an ankle injury. Once unleashed, Watson immediately showed why the Packers had made a big bet on his unusual combination of size (6-4, 208) and speed (4.36 40). He had 317 receiving yards and seven TD catches during Doubs' four-game absence, adding another 49 yards and an eighth touchdown on the ground. Watson slowed down a bit after a Week 14 bye but still played well, catching 16 of 25 targets for 210 yards over the final four games. He naturally entered Year 2 with big expectations, largely assumed to be the top weapon for new starting QB Jordan Love. Unfortunately for Watson, his hamstrings stole the show again, causing absences Weeks 1-3 and later Weeks 14-18. The second injury was especially frustrating because he'd just gotten hot again, recording 186 yards and four TDs over a three-game stretch. The talent is obviously there, but now Watson faces serious questions about snap/target competition in addition to durability, as his absence opened things up for fellow 2022 draft pick Romeo Doubs (fourth round) and 2023 rookies Jayden Reed (second round) and Dontayvion Wicks (fifth round). The latter even split snaps with Watson when he came back for the playoffs, during which Watson managed just 20 yards and three targets in two games. Long story short, it's no longer clear Watson will be a primary beneficiary of Love developing into Green Bay's next franchise quarterback. Read Past Outlooks