Christian Watson was an afterthought in fantasy drafts a year ago and finished the season looking like a legitimate WR1. The injury that scared everyone off is now well behind him.
Green Bay has cleaned up the receiver room around him and could be throwing more than ever this season. Fantasy managers should be asking why his price has not caught up.
Should I Draft Christian Watson in Fantasy Football?
Here is the question I keep coming back to. Where would Watson be drafted if nobody had any concerns about his health?
Rewind to last summer. Nobody was taking Watson. He was coming off a torn ACL, and while the expectation was that he would return at some point during the season, the fantasy community did not care. He had averaged a miserable 7.0 fantasy points per game across 15 games in 2024. His rookie flashes were starting to look like a fluke. Green Bay had a crowded receiver room with bodies everywhere. Watson was not even a consideration.
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Then, he came back midseason and changed the entire conversation. Across 10 games, Watson posted 13.2 PPG and looked genuinely explosive doing it. That was not a healthy player easing back into things. That was a difference-maker.
The efficiency confirms it. Watson’s 2.65 yards per route run ranked fourth in the league, and his 0.121 first downs per route run ranked 10th. Those are the metrics of a high-end talent, not a complementary piece having a nice stretch.
Everything around him improved this offseason, too. The Packers consolidated their receiver room. The endless rotation that plagued this offense is over. Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed are locked in as the top three. Tucker Kraft is now working back from a torn ACL of his own, which is another reason Watson could truly break out. And Josh Jacobs appears to be in decline with a possible suspension hanging over him, which points toward more passing volume across the board.
Now, consider the growth available. Watson commanded only a 19.9% target share last season while ramping back up from major knee surgery. He has a full offseason of health behind him and faces no threat to his standing as the clear WR1 in Green Bay. Why can’t he push toward 25%?
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The best part is that he does not need to. If Watson simply repeats what he did last year, he is a hit at his current cost. He posted three separate games of 18-plus fantasy points in that 10-game stretch, so the ceiling is already established.
Watson is my WR25 against a WR29 ADP. Could he get hurt? Sure. So could anyone on your roster. At this price, I am absolutely rolling the dice.
Katz’s WR Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
- Puka Nacua | LAR
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
- Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
- Drake London | ATL
- Justin Jefferson | MIN
- Nico Collins | HOU
- CeeDee Lamb | DAL
- A.J. Brown | NE
- Malik Nabers | NYG
- George Pickens | DAL
- Rashee Rice | KC
- Chris Olave | NO
- Zay Flowers | BAL
- Jaylen Waddle | DEN
- DeVonta Smith | PHI
- Ladd McConkey | LAC
- Tee Higgins | CIN
- Terry McLaurin | WAS
- Emeka Egbuka | TB
- Tetairoa McMillan | CAR
- Garrett Wilson | NYJ
- Luther Burden III | CHI
- Christian Watson | GB
- Jameson Williams | DET
- Parker Washington | JAX
- Rome Odunze | CHI
- Carnell Tate | TEN
- DJ Moore | BUF
- Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
- Davante Adams | LAR
- Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX
- Quentin Johnston | LAC
- Mike Evans | SF
- Stefon Diggs | WAS
- Michael Wilson | ARI
- DK Metcalf | PIT
- Jakobi Meyers | JAX
- Josh Downs | IND
- Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT
- Jayden Reed | GB
- Courtland Sutton | DEN
- Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN
- Chris Godwin Jr. | TB
- Makai Lemon | PHI
- Jordan Addison | MIN
- Alec Pierce | IND
- Khalil Shakir | BUF
- De’Zhaun Stribling | SF
- Rashid Shaheed | SEA
