Christian Watson Has Always Been Green Bay’s Most Valuable Receiver

Matt LaFleur once said he wanted to vomit every time he got a question about who the Green Bay Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver was — and that’s a valid response. Green Bay believes in all of their guys; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be on the roster.

Still, it’s hard to overlook the tape, the numbers, and the data when determining who has been the most valuable wideout in the group. And that guy is Christian Watson.

Watson made his season debut in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching all four of his targets for 85 yards. Since then, he’s seen at least four targets in every game and has averaged eight per contest since Week 12, including a career-best 10 on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions.

Despite Watson joining the lineup midway through the year, his five touchdown grabs still rank second on the team. That’s tied with Romeo Doubs, who has been active since Week 1, and only behind Tucker Kraft, who played the first seven games before tearing his ACL against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9.

Watson made a huge impact in Green Bay’s 28–21 win over the Chicago Bears, a victory that moved the Packers to 9-3-1 and into first place in the NFC North. He turned four receptions into 89 yards and two touchdowns, a great performance made even more meaningful considering he tore his ACL against Chicago in Week 18 last season.

Per Next Gen Stats, Watson reached 21.6 miles per hour on his touchdown run that stretched the lead to two scores midway through the third quarter. That burst ranks among the fastest speeds recorded by any player this season — and one of the top marks for a wide receiver — which is remarkable considering he’s still not a full year removed from his knee injury. He’s also been on a tear lately, finding the end zone five times over his last four games.

“It means a lot to me, for sure,” Watson said postgame. “Honestly, I tried not to think about it that much, but as the game was kind of getting going, it was definitely creeping in my mind a little bit. I’m just so thankful and blessed to be able to do what I do, and I’m glad that today panned out how it did.”

Since Week 8, Watson has been one of the league’s most productive wideouts. Over that span, he ranks 10th in receiving yards, tied for third in touchdown receptions, and eighth in yards per route run. In just seven games, he’s totaled 25 catches for 425 yards and five touchdowns while also sitting second in the league in yards per catch.

If you stretch that production across a full 17-game season, the numbers paint an even clearer picture. He’d be on pace for 61 receptions, 1,033 yards, and 13 touchdowns — elite WR1 output by any standard.

“That man’s different,” Bo Melton said after the game against Chicago. “Everybody know that in this locker room. He’s the gazelle, man. That man 6’4” and runs a 4.1. It’s hard to cover the man.

“Just to see him out there and just to see him happy and playing and him being healthy and all that, I thank God for that because he works so hard. That’s a hard worker, and at the end of the day, he’s blessed with the abilities, but he works hard for it. I love to see when he shines. Love to see when anyone shines in this locker room, but love to see Christian, for sure.”

Among Green Bay receivers, Watson leads the team in average depth of target and yards per route run, and ranks second in total expected points added. His catch rate is higher than both Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks. He also owns the best receiving grade in the group, including an absurd 99.1 grade on targets of 20-plus yards and a 90.1 grade versus zone; no other Packers receiver is above 75.6. He’s also third in passer rating when targeted among 118 receivers with at least 20 targets.

Watson is under contract with the Packers through the 2026 season, but it’s hard to imagine him playing out that deal as-is. He’s become too important to Matt LaFleur’s offense, and the trajectory suggests he’s headed for a major extension next year. If he stays healthy, he’s absolutely going to get the bag.