Packers’ Christian Watson Blazing Pace That’s Second to None in NFL History

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In five games, Green Bay Packers receiver Christian Watson has 474 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

It’s a small sample size, but not so small as to render the statistical projections completely useless. If Watson were to keep up that production over 17 games, he’d finish with 1,612 receiving yards and 20 touchdown catches.

That season has never been accomplished in NFL history.

In fact, even if you dial it back a bit, no player has ever reached 1,500 receiving yards and 18 touchdown catches in a season. Only five players have had 18-plus touchdown receptions in a season, with Davante Adams the most recent in 2020. From that quintet, Randy Moss’s 1,493 yards and NFL-record 23 touchdowns is the best season.

After practice on Wednesday, with the Packers getting ready for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, Watson was asked about being mentioned in the same breath as Moss and Jerry Rice.

“It definitely motivates me to keep going, but I’m trying to continue to be the best version of myself,” he said. “I want to look back at the end of the season and be able to have those same comparisons rather than looking at it during the season.”

Christian Watson Is Better Than Ever

Watson is off to an incredible start to the season, bookended by six catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the opener at Minnesota and six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Chicago on Sunday.

This is the fourth season together for Watson and Love. They’ve never connected for more than the six touchdowns that Watson has already.

“I think he’s just playing at a high level right now,” Love said on Wednesday. “He’s making plays. We know what type of speed Christian has – everybody knows what. He’s making plays when the ball is in his hands. Like that [second] touchdown catch he had [against Chicago], he’s making contested catches. That’s the area that everybody’s talked about, growth, and he’s been making huge strides in that area.”

Of the 56 receivers who have run at least 20 routes, Watson is fourth with a passer rating when targeted of 139.7 and sixth with 2.86 yards per route, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s caught 8-of-12 contested-catch opportunities, with the 66.7 percent success rate tied for 12th.

Week 5: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson does a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Bears. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He’s third with 11.9 yards per target. The players ahead of him are Atlanta’s Drake London, who has zero touchdowns, and Baltimore’s Zay Flowers, who has two.

Obviously, Watson has elite physical tools. The growth has come through experience – he’s turned himself into a complete receiver and not just a deep threat – and the additional opportunities that have come through health and the evolving depth chart.

“I think he’s just a consistent player for us right now,” Love said. “He’s in the right spots, both the passing game, the run game. He knows what to do, he’s been in the system for a while and he’s a smart guy. So, now it’s just seeing how far we can take this thing with me and him and our connection.

“Really, for me, it’s just fun to watch. When you’ve got a guy that you can get on any route, you never know, he can take it to the crib at any time. For me, it’s finding ways to continue getting him the ball, putting him in great places and just keep letting him succeed and go do what he does.”

The interesting line there was Love saying “how far we can take this thing.” Does that mean they can be even more productive?

“Oh, yeah, for sure,” Love said.

How?

“There’s more out there,” he said with a smile. “There’s more out there. There’s always more out there.”

Christian Watson Chasing Perfection

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson catches a touchdown pass over Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Watson agreed.

“There's definitely more. Honestly, I could probably look back at the game and go back and say there's five plays. whether it be run game or pass play, that I wish I would have been better on or executed better,” he said.

“There’s always ways to still learn and grow from stuff. Even when you have success, there’s still things that we left out there that we want to have back. Obviously, perfection is almost impossible, but we’re still always trying to chase that. So, just finding ways to still clean things up and not leave anything out there.”

Green Bay’s single-season records are 1,553 yards by Davante Adams in 2021 and 18 touchdowns by Adams in 2020 and Sterling Sharpe in 1994. The only season of 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns was Antonio Freeman’s 1,424 yards and 14 scores in 1998.

“I think he’s getting more opportunities,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think he’s done a great job of coming in – he’s always been in shape but he’s been able to stay on the field. Certainly, that’s something that we’ve challenged him. Like, ‘Hey, man, I know you run a lot of these deep routes but we need you in there as much as humanly possible,’ and he’s answered the bell. I think you’re seeing the growth of a player.

“For all these guys, the more they play, usually the better they get.”

While Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having an even better season than Watson – he’s fourth with 37 receptions and first with 583 yards and seven touchdowns – Watson among players with 20-plus catches is No. 1 with 18.2 yards per catch. Watson is the only player with more than 16.5 yards per catch and at least one touchdown.

“I think I’m right where I’m at but, obviously, I’ve got to keep on climbing,” he said after the game. “There’s a lot of individual goals I want to achieve, but I’ve got to keep on doing what I’m doing if we want to have success as a team. Obviously, they’re relying on me a lot, so I’ve got to keep on doing what I’m doing to obviously get the team the best chance to continue winning.”

Five games into their careers, and with a huge test coming up against Dallas, here's how I'd grade each member of the Packers' small-but-mighty draft class. ⬇️https://t.co/R2hFy6Q1s9
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 14, 2026

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