The Green Bay Packers have a crucial game this week. The team will face off against the division rival Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, as both teams look to keep pace with the first-place Chicago Bears.
A key for the Packers will be getting as healthy as possible for the final stretch of the regular season. Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden is a key player who missed the Week 12 game against the Minnesota Vikings, and he will be unavailable for the game against the Lions as well.
Matthew Golden Injury Update
Golden was limited in practice this past week, but ultimately was not cleared to play on Thanksgiving. The rookie is dealing with a wrist injury and has already missed two games this season.
So far in his rookie campaign, Golden has played in nine contests and has 24 catches for 286 yards. The Texas product has yet to find the end zone in the NFL, but he’s shown flashes of becoming the star receiver the Packers desperately need.
PFSN’s WR Impact ranking gives Golden an impact score of 81.2 for his performance this season, which is the highest grade among Packers’ wide receivers.
Packers Need All Hands on Deck for Crucial Matchup
Entering the Week 13 matchup, the Packers are sitting at 7-3-1 while the Lions are 7-4. The Packers won the first matchup back in Week 1, so this matchup could have profound playoff implications.
MORE: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Caleb Downs Lands in Cincinnati, Steelers Find a WR to Pair with D.K. Metcalf
The Packers’ pass catcher group has been hit hard by injuries this season. Star tight end Tucker Kraft tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season, while Golden, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks have all also missed time with injuries.
Wicks was also listed as a limited participant on Monday’s report, while fellow receiver Savion Williams was listed as out. Watson and Doubs were listed as full participants on the report.
The Lions’ pass defense has been just average this season, so the Packers’ wideouts could have a big game against them. Apart from Golden, Jayden Reed is also ruled out for the game against Detroit.
Following the Thanksgiving game, the Packers will face the Chicago Bears in another crucial NFC North matchup. Both Golden and Reed will potentially make their return next week.
Green Bay Packers’ Insights for Week 13
Team: The Packers are playing on Thanksgiving for the third straight year. Green Bay is 16-20-2 after beating the Dolphins and Lions the last two seasons.
QB: Jordan Love has two touchdown passes in the last four games after throwing 13 in the first seven games.
Offense: Romeo Doubs had 34 catches for 441 yards and four touchdowns on 6.5 targets per game in the first eight games. In the last three games, Dobbs has caught seven passes for 81 yards and no touchdowns on 5.0 targets per game.
Defense: The Packers recorded the team’s best PFSN Defense Impact (DEFi) score since 2006. Since 2000, the 93.2 (A) against the Vikings in Week 12 is only behind a 93.8 (A) in Week 5 against the Lions in 2009 and 93.5 (A) against the Bears in the final game of the 2006 season.
Fantasy: Jordan Love has now thrown zero touchdowns in three of his last four games. Things should turn around against a Lions pass-funnel defense, which allows the seventh most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
