Of PFN’s Top 32 Receivers, How Many Will Face Packers?
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Pro Football Network posted its list of the top 32 receivers in the NFL. Not surprisingly, none play for the Green Bay Packers, but many will go against Joe Barry’s defense in 2022.
In fact, seven of the top 11 in Dalton Miller’s rankings will face Green Bay. That will provide a strong test for what could be an elite cornerback trio of Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes.
“I’m a firm believer in this league you can’t have enough corners,” Barry said on Tuesday when asked about Alexander’s contract extension. “It’s great. I’m just looking forward to getting 23 back on the field healthy and back to himself. No one really realizes what he did just to get back for us for the playoff game because he had a major injury.
“A lot of guys would have just cashed it in and said, ‘Hey, I’ll see you in May.’ He busted his butt to get back and really was not 100 percent. He played his butt off in that playoff game. It goes to show you what kind of character he has, what he’s all about. You talk about football character, Jaire Alexander has it. It’s exciting to have Jaire, to have Eric, to get Rasul back in free agency was great. It’s going to be a lot of fun once we get to OTAs next week.”
The Packers will face 14 of Miller’s top 32 receivers. They’ll play at least one premier receiver in 12 of their 17 games. That list could be expanded if Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, who finished second among rookies with 90 receptions last year, builds on his strong rookie season and the Giants’ Kadarius Toney takes a big Year 2 jump.
Former Packers receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in March, ranked No. 3.
“Davante Adams has had his own argument for being the best receiver in the game over the last few seasons,” Miller wrote. “The Fresno State alumnus is a first-down machine. Nobody in the NFL can manipulate defenders at the line of scrimmage like Adams. That allows him to separate instantly, giving Aaron Rodgers, and now Derek Carr, an open target as the first read more often than not.”
Here's Green Bay’s weekly schedule with receivers in PFN’s top-32 rankings.
Week 1: No. 1 – Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Week 2: No. 27 – Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
Week 3: No. 10 – Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 3: No. 11 – Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 7: No. 14 – Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Week 8: No. 8 – Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
Week 10: No. 18 – CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Week 10: No. 31 – Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys
Week 11: No. 21 – Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans
Week 12: No. 9 – A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Week 12: No. 30 – DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Week 13: No. 27 – Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
Week 14: Bye.
Week 15: No. 2 – Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Week 16: No. 4 – Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Week 16: No. 20 – Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Week 17: No. 1 – Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
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