It's no secret that the Green Bay Packers' wide receiver situation was messy without Christian Watson to begin the 2025 NFL season. Although Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed are talented in their own rights, none were able to consistently step up with Watson sidelined, and the situation became even more dire once Reed hit injured reserve in September.
Fortunately, Watson's absence didn't last too long, as he returned to the Packers' lineup in Week 8 and hasn't looked back. That trend continued in the win against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, as the former 2022 second-rounder ended the day with four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 10 targets.
Although the Packers were well aware of the impact he could have on the offense, it's safe to say that Watson has exceeded expectations since his Green Bay return.
Christian Watson Is Cementing Himself as Packers' WR1
The Packers rolled the dice on Watson when they extended him on a one-year, $13.25 million contract back in September. It was a gamble, given that he was still recovering from his ACL tear, meaning it was far from guaranteed that he'd return to the version of himself that averaged a whopping 21.4 yards per reception last season.
What was once a gamble now looks like a genius move as Watson continues exceeding expectations. Including Thursday's effort against the Lions, the ex-North Dakota State playmaker is up to 21 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns in six games. The 60.5 receiving yards per game he's averaging is noticeably above the career high he set in 2023 (46.9), putting him on pace for 1,029 yards if he were playing all 17 games.
For reference, that type of performance would've made him the first Green Bay wideout to hit the 1,000-yard mark since Davante Adams amassed 1,553 in 2021. As great as it is to have multiple talented WRs in the fold, it's clear that Watson is capable of giving the Packers the sort of WR1-quality performances that they've been lacking.
With how often he was peppered with targets against the Lions, Packers fans can expect Watson to be quarterback Jordan Love's go-to target moving forward. His hands are more reliable than the rest of Green Bay's wide receivers, such as Wicks and Doubs, who have three drops apiece, according to Pro Football Focus. His presence is also exactly what Love needed after losing star tight end Tucker Kraft for the season.
Watson is under contract through 2026, giving Packers fans plenty to look forward to if his recent performances are an indication of what's to come. If that's the case, his extension will continue being one of the NFL's best bargains, making it interesting to see what his next contract will look like — especially if any health concerns are officially behind him.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on Watson to see if he can help guide the Packers to even more NFC North supremacy before the season is over.
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