Christian Watson

Christian Watson

25-Year-Old Wide ReceiverWR
Green Bay Packers
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Watson got the boom-or-bust label coming out of FCS North Dakota State in 2022 and landing with Green Bay at No. 34 overall. It turns out he's been both, with health the main issue rather than being overwhelmed by NFL competition. Watson had a minor knee surgery before training camp his rookie year, then missed Weeks 3, 6 and 7 with hamstring injuries. He didn't take a full-time role until Week 10 when fellow rookie Romeo Doubs was sidelined by an ankle injury. Once unleashed, Watson immediately showed why the Packers had made a big bet on his unusual combination of size (6-4, 208) and speed (4.36 40). He had 317 receiving yards and seven TD catches during Doubs' four-game absence, adding another 49 yards and an eighth touchdown on the ground. Watson slowed down a bit after a Week 14 bye but still played well, catching 16 of 25 targets for 210 yards over the final four games. He naturally entered Year 2 with big expectations, largely assumed to be the top weapon for new starting QB Jordan Love. Unfortunately for Watson, his hamstrings stole the show again, causing absences Weeks 1-3 and later Weeks 14-18. The second injury was especially frustrating because he'd just gotten hot again, recording 186 yards and four TDs over a three-game stretch. The talent is obviously there, but now Watson faces serious questions about snap/target competition in addition to durability, as his absence opened things up for fellow 2022 draft pick Romeo Doubs (fourth round) and 2023 rookies Jayden Reed (second round) and Dontayvion Wicks (fifth round). The latter even split snaps with Watson when he came back for the playoffs, during which Watson managed just 20 yards and three targets in two games. Long story short, it's no longer clear Watson will be a primary beneficiary of Love developing into Green Bay's next franchise quarterback. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed a four-year, $9.24 million contract with the Packers in July of 2022.
No targets in Week 2
WRGreen Bay Packers
September 15, 2024
Watson wasn't targeted during Sunday's 16-10 win versus the Colts.
ANALYSIS
The Packers offense was without Jordan Love (knee) for the first of potentially multiple games, so there were bound to be significant changes to the breakdown of touches with Malik Willis leading the way. However, Watson wasn't on the receiving end of any of Willis' 14 passes, and none of the team's 53 carries were allotted to him, while fellow WRs Jayden Reed and even Bo Melton were a part of the rushing attack with two apiece. As for the passing game, WRs Dontayvion Wicks (four), Romeo Doubs (three) and Reed (two) and TE Tucker Kraft (two) were the only pass catchers to record multiple targets. Such game plans may be the norm for Green Bay for as long as Love is sidelined, meaning Watson will be difficult to trust next Sunday at Tennessee.
Read More News
NFL Stats
Loading NFL Stats...
Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
Loading Fantasy/Red Zone Stats...
Advanced NFL Stats
How do Christian Watson's 2024 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Air Yards Per Game
55.0
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.71
 
% Team Air Yards
19.8%
 
% Team Targets
15.6%
 
Avg Depth of Target
11.0 Yds
 
Catch Rate
60.0%
 
Drop Rate
0.0%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
0.3
 
% Targeted On Route
18.5%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.48
 
Loading Advanced NFL Stats...
2024
2023
2022
2024 NFL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
2023 NFL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
2022 NFL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Green Bay PackersPackers 2024 WR Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

10483%
7963%
7762%
6149%
2218%
Loading Weekly Snap Counts...
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Christian Watson lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
Grouped
Side
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Team Alignment Breakdown...
This Week's Opposing Pass Defense
How does the Colts pass defense compare to other NFL teams this season?
The bars represents the team's percentile rank (based on QB Rating Against). The longer the bar, the better their pass defense is. The team and position group ratings only include players that are currently on the roster and not on injured reserve. The list of players in the table only includes defenders with at least 3 attempts against them.
IND
vs Colts
Sunday, Sep 15th at 1:00PM
Overall QB Rating Against
91.5
 
Cornerbacks
75.3
 
Safeties
109.7
 
Linebackers
64.6
 
Loading Opponent Pass Defense Stats...
2024 Christian Watson Split Stats
Loading NFL Split Stats...
Measurables Review
How do Christian Watson's measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 4"
 
Weight
208 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.36 sec
 
Vertical Jump
38.5 in
 
Broad Jump
136 in
 
Hand Length
10.13 in
 
Arm Length
32.50 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Christian Watson See More
Gameday Injuries: Week 2
Yesterday
Juan Carlos Blanco dives into the latest as of Sunday morning on a star-packed Week 2 injury report.
Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 2 Matchups
3 days ago
Amon-Ra St. Brown will likely torch a thin Buccaneers secondary playing without its star enforcer in Antoine Winfield.
NFL Game Previews: Falcons-Eagles Monday Night Matchup
4 days ago
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as the Jalen Hurts and the Eagles play host to the Falcons.
Weekly Rankings: Week 2 Value Meter
5 days ago
Jordan Love's injury could be disastrous for all of the Packers' fantasy values.
NFL Box Score Breakdown: Snaps, Personnel and Advanced Stats from Week 1
7 days ago
Jerry Donabedian surveys roles and usage in his Week 1 deep dive, with standouts including Lions WR Jameson Williams, Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker and Packers TE Tucker Kraft.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
A North Dakota State product, Watson nearly crept into the first round of last year's draft after blazing a 4.36 40-yard dash at 6-4, 208, with a 38.5-inch vertical to boot. He ultimately went 34th overall to the Packers, still earlier than nearly anyone expected, and after dealing with some early injuries became the big-play threat the team had envisioned. Seven of Watson's 41 catches went for touchdowns, as did two of his seven carries, though all nine of his scores came in a four-game stretch from mid-November to early December. The good news is that he didn't completely disappear thereafter, averaging 4.0 catches for 52.5 yards on 6.3 targets the final four weeks. Fellow rookie wideout Romeo Doubs, meanwhile, failed to build on a promising start to the season and was marginalized in Green Bay's offense by the end of the year. It could be those two second-year guys at the top of the depth chart this spring, only now in a more run-based offense with Jordan Love replacing Aaron Rodgers under center while Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon lead the way out of the backfield.
In terms of opportunity, Watson probably has it best of the rookie wide receivers, joining an Aaron Rodgers - Matt LaFleur offense that lost Davante Adams (169 targets) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (55). The rub? Watson might not be the most pro-ready prospect, given that he's 23, played at FCS program North Dakota State and never caught more than 43 passes in a single season while spending a lot of time blocking in run-first offenses. On the other hand, he had a dominant share of the Bison's passing game - including 35 percent of the receiving yards and TDs last year - and then lit up the Combine with a 4.36 40, 136-inch broad jump and 38.5-inch vertical at 6-4, 208. The Packers took Watson at No. 34 overall, boosting a woefully thin wideout group that otherwise consisted of Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers. They also grabbed Romeo Doubs in Round 4, but Watson's physical specs and draft capital make him the long-term upside play of the bunch, while Lazard is the floor play with a guaranteed starting job. Watson did hit a speed bump after the draft, requiring minor knee surgery that kept him on the sideline for the start of training camp, whereas fellow rookie Doubs managed to earn praise from Rodgers in the early days of camp. Watson came back from the PUP list Aug. 15 and thus has a chance to be ready for Week 1 still, though he won't necessarily have a key role.
More Fantasy News
Quiet in season opener
WRGreen Bay Packers
September 6, 2024
Watson recorded three catches on five targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 34-29 loss to the Eagles.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Avoids trouble with knee
WRGreen Bay Packers
August 8, 2024
Watson is on track to practice Thursday after getting hit on the knee at the end of Wednesday's practice, Paul Bretl of ESPN La Crosse 105.5 FM reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Downplays practice injury
WRGreen Bay Packers
August 7, 2024
Watson, who relayed that he took a hit to the knee on the last play of practice Wednesday, downplayed the issue afterward, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. "It's a little sore, but it's just a bruise, so nothing that's going to stop me from doing anything," Watson said. "Right now, it's died down a lot, so if we had a practice right now, then I think I would be good to go."
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Feels more confident in hamstring
WRGreen Bay Packers
May 24, 2024
After undergoing eight hours of testing at the University of Wisconsin's School of Medicine earlier in the offseason, Watson believes he has solved his right hamstring issues that have caused him to miss several games through his first two seasons, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Team optimistic after testing
WRGreen Bay Packers
March 26, 2024
The Packers feel like they have a better understanding of Watson's injury issues after he underwent a body scan at University of Wisconsin-Madison earlier this offseason, Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Hoping health issues are behind him
WRGreen Bay Packers
May 27, 2024
Watson worked with researchers at the University of Wisconsin this offseason to try and pinpoint the cause of his frequent hamstring injuries, Rob Demovsky of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
The wideout missed three regular-season games as a rookie in 2022 and eight more last season due to multiple hamstring strains, and the issue was determined to be that one of his legs was significantly stronger than the other, causing repeated injuries as the weaker leg tried to keep up. Watson spent the winter trying to get the strength of his legs balanced. "For me, it really was the asymmetry between the legs," Watson said during the Packers' OTAs last week. "It comes from a lot of things. Obviously, the issues I've had in the past with hamstrings, not fully recovering from those strength-wise. So I've just been attacking the strength side of it, trying to get that symmetry back and it's been huge for me. I feel really, really good, just gotta continue grinding at it." If Watson can stay in the lineup in 2024, he could be headed for a breakout season after averaging 15.0 yards per reception over his first two NFL campaigns.
See All NFL Rumors