The Green Bay Packers will be without left tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Christian Watson and running back Aaron Jones on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. All three offensive starters are officially inactive for Week 2.
The Packers had Bakhtiari, Watson and Jones all listed as questionable entering the contest. Watson and Jones are dealing with hamstring injuries, while Bakhtiari might be sitting out due to the turf in Atlanta.
Buy Packers TicketsHere’s a look at who’s in and who’s out for the Packers in Week 2:
Inactives
RB Aaron Jones
WR Christian Watson
LT David Bakhtiari
S Anthony Johnson Jr.
S Zayne Anderson
OLB Brenton Cox
OT Caleb Jones
A.J. Dillon will be the expected starter at running back, with Patrick Taylor and Emanuel Wilson as the two backups. Jones had 127 total yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. Without Watson, the Packers will rely on Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks as the top three wide receivers. Bakhtiari is a surprise inactive, but it’s likely the playing surface — turf — played a role in his availability. Expect Rasheed Walker to be a starter, either at left tackle or right tackle if Zach Tom moves to the left side. Johnson, Anderson, Cox and Jones are inactive for the second consecutive week.
Who's in
Linebacker Quay Walker, who passed through concussion protocol on Saturday, is active. He will be vital for stopping the Falcons running back duo. The Packers originally listed Walker as questionable but removed him from the injury report after he passed the league’s protocol. Five other players who spent time on the injury report this week will all play, including Rashan Gary, Elgton Jenkins and Romeo Doubs.
Impact on Week 2
The Packers won’t have three important starters on offense, including the team’s best blocker, best playmaker and best receiver. Can Matt LaFleur conjure up enough points through playcalls and the rest of the weapons around Jordan Love? Rasheed Walker has a big opportunity to audition as the left (or right) tackle of the future, while A.J. Dillon — in a contract year — will get a big chance to show he can be a lead back. The passing game may struggle to create explosive plays without Jones and Watson. It will be on the shoulders of Love and LaFleur and a healthy defense to lead the Packers to a win in Atlanta in Week 2.
