The Green Bay Packers enter training camp in 2025 without a clear-cut number one receiver. For the past two seasons, the team had a very young receiving corps with the players taking turns being Jordan Love’s top target depending on matchups and who was having a better game. As the team prepares to start training camp later this month, it remains unclear who the team’s top receiver will be and who will lead the team in catches in 2025. Here are the top candidates.
Number Five: Matthew Golden
Rookie receivers don’t usually lead the team in receptions, but don’t count Golden out. He exhibited reliable hands in college and an instinct for the football. The key will be how quickly the Texas alum picks up the offense and adjusts to life in the NFL.
He will have to carve out a consistent role in the offense and gain the trust of his quarterback early if he hopes to lead the team in catches.
Golden has a potentially bright future, but how quickly it starts will be a big factor in determining if he becomes the team’s top receiver.
Number Four: Romeo Doubs
Romeo Doubs needs to cut down on his dropped passes to have a chance at leading the team in catches. He has great chemistry with Love and has often been the target the quarterback looks for in clutch situations.
Doubs had issues last season with his role in the offense and was ultimately suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. He did return and finished the season although it’s not clear if Doubs remains unhappy with his role. It will be up to him to earn more reps in a crowded receiving room. Doubs may not have as high a ceiling as some of his competition, but he also has a higher floor.
There are rumors that Doubs could be traded before the season starts, but if that doesn’t happen, Doubs could become one of Love’s favorite targets.
Number Three: Dontayvion Wicks
Dontayvion Wicks led the Packers in targets last season with 76 but finished fourth with just 39 catches. That means Wicks often gets open but doesn’t always manage to complete the play. Pro-Football-Reference.com credited him with nine drops in 2024 and a very high drop percentage of 11.8.
If Wicks can continue to get open and reduce the number of drops, he may have as much upside as any receiver on the roster. Of course, drops have plagued him since his college days so that may not happen.
With Christian Watson set to miss at least the first half of the season, Wicks’ ability to get open on deep patterns may make him the team’s go-to deep threat.
The potential is there, now Wicks has to prove he can get the job done consistently.
Number Two: Tucker Kraft
Tight end Tucker Kraft finished third on the team last year with 50 catches and led the team with seven touchdown catches. Kraft will be entering his third season in the NFL and took a big step forward last year. He excels at running after the catch and turning short passes into longer gains because he is tough to tackle one-on-one.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has already said he would like to throw the ball to Kraft more often downfield and not just limit him to check down throws. That could extend his role in the offense this season.
Kraft has proven to be one of Love’s more reliable targets. If he takes on a bigger role in the offense, he could lead the team in catches in 2025.
Number One: Jayden Reed
Quietly, Jayden Reed has led the Packers in catches in each of his first two seasons. He’s been the team’s slot receiver since his rookie campaign in 2023 and led the team in receptions despite not playing more than 63 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.
Reed got off to a fast start last season, but his production tailed off in the final eight games. LaFleur indicated he needed to get him the ball more often, but again, that is something Reed will have to earn.
Reed had nine drops last season after committing only three in 2023. If he can be a bit more consistent and reduce the drops, Reed could three-peat as the Packers leading receiver.