Should I Start Matthew Golden?

Wednesday, April 8, 5:13 AM

When the Green Bay Packers made Matthew Golden only their sixth ever first-round wide receiver, and the first since 2002, many in the fantasy space feared he may have been overdrafted, and a disappointing rookie season did little to quell those concerns. Golden finished the 2025 season with only 361 yards on 29 receptions, and he failed to find the end zone until the Packers' lone playoff game, at least offering a glimpse of what a year two breakout could look like, also topping 80 yards for only the second time on the year. The list of NFL receivers who have become fantasy stars after similarly low-impact rookie seasons is not a particularly long one, and even those who were able to turn things around tended to show more than Golden's 1.35 yards per route run from 2025. The Packers allowed their leading receiver, Romeo Doubs, to walk in free agency, which should open a path to more work in two-receiver sets. However, both Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft, who each missed significant time last year, are expected to be healthier in 2026 and could help to maintain the fantasy jumble we've seen for years from Green Bay's wide receivers.