Who Should I Start? Christian Watson or Xavier Smith

Thursday, March 5, 7:12 AM

Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Christian Watson missed the first seven weeks of 2025 with an ACL injury sustained late in 2024, but in his ten games played, he delivered a 17-game pace of 60 catches for 1,039 yards and 10 touchdowns, finishing as a top-5 fantasy wide receiver three times. Four-year veteran Romeo Doubs, who led the team in targets, receptions, and yards in 2025, is now set to test free agency, leaving an opening for Watson to take over as the Packers' unquestioned WR1. Green Bay is expected to have tight end Tucker Kraft back in the fold after pacing the team in receiving before missing the final nine games with an ACL injury of his own, and speedster Matthew Golden is expected to take a leap after finishing his rookie campaign without a regular-season touchdown catch. So while the competition for Doubs' potentially vacated targets could be stiff, Watson's career-high 2.51 yards per route run led the team in 2025, and he will look to thrive in a potentially expanded role in 2026.