While the Green Bay Packers didn’t hesitate to play a pair of rookie wide receivers in the 2022 season opener, second-year receiver Amari Rodgers didn’t see the field at all from scrimmage.
The absence of Allen Lazard (inactive, ankle) certainly opened the door for second-round pick Christian Watson and fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs to get on the field in a major way in Week 1.
Rodgers might be the primary returner but he’s buried in terms of the wide receiver depth chart and may not play any kind of meaningful role on offense for the Packers in 2022.
The snap counts for Packers wide receivers in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings:
1. Sammy Watkins: 41
2. Christian Watson: 40
3. Randall Cobb: 37
4. Romeo Doubs: 35
5. Juwann Winfree: 9
6. Amari Rodgers: 0
Seventh-round pick Samori Toure was inactive. Winfree, who caught one pass, was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday.
Rodgers, last year’s third-round pick, was the only active skill position player who didn’t play a single snap from scrimmage. If he can’t get on the field with one of the starters out, it’s difficult to envision him being a factor this year.
While Watkins and Cobb were both on the field for over 60 percent of the offense’s snaps, the veteran pair combined for five catches on six targets for just 32 yards.
The Packers started Watson and dialed him up a deep shot to open the game, but he dropped the 75-yarder.
In their regular season debuts, Watson and Doubs combined to catch six passes for 71 yards. They were targeted nine times total; Cobb and Watkins saw six combined targets.
Yards per route run among receivers in Week 1, via Pro Football Focus:
1. Juwann Winfree, 1.89
2. Romeo Doubs, 1.48
3. Christian Watson, 1.17
4. Sammy Watkins, 0.64
5. Randall Cobb, 0.52
It will be interesting to track snap counts at receiver when Lazard returns. Does Watson or Doubs see less of the field? Watson’s speed is hard to keep off the grass. He’s a legit deep threat.
