Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) won’t play in Sunday’s regular season opener at … [+]
Jordan Love’s first game as the Green Bay Packers’ new starting quarterback was already going to be an immense challenge.
Now it’s become even more difficult.
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that Christian Watson — the Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver — will not play in Sunday’s opener at Chicago due to a hamstring injury.
“Hopefully (it’s) just a week to week,” LaFleur said of Watson’s injury.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay’s No. 2 wideout, is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury of his own. Doubs missed a week-and-a-half with his injury, but returned to practice Thursday and Friday.
“He looked really good,” LaFleur said of Doubs.
The Packers have revamped their entire receiving group in the last two seasons, and Watson and Doubs — both second-year players — were their most experienced returnees this season.
Watson, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds coming out of North Dakota State, had 40 catches and seven touchdowns as a rookie last season.
He had just 10 receptions for 88 yards and no touchdowns in the first nine games of the season. Watson erupted over the final eight games, though, with 31 catches for 523 yards (16.9 average) and seven TDs.
Watson finished the year with a team-high seven receiving touchdowns, and added two rushing TDs. He tied for No. 1 in the NFL among rookies in TD catches and ranked No. 5 among rookies in receiving yards.
His other achievements include:
• Watson ranks No. 3 in team history in TD receptions among rookies behind only Howton (13 in 1952) and McGee (nine in 1954).
• Watson had two TD receptions of 50-plus yards (63, 58), the first Green Bay rookie to post multiple TD receptions of 50-plus yards since Howton (six) in 1952.
• Watson was tied for No. 1 among NFL rookies with three 100-yard receiving games on the season, the second most by a Green Bay rookie in team history (Howton, five in 1952).
“There’s going to be highs and there’s going to be lows,” Watson said earlier this summer. “You’ve just got to ride the momentum and keep it going and I feel those are things I did.
“I feel to close out the year, I finished on a high. Looking back and seeing the growth from the moment I got to the facility to now and where I see myself going in the future, I’m excited to put that on display.”
Watson won’t be doing that Sunday.
As for Doubs, it’s wait and see.
Doubs finished last season with 42 receptions, making him Green Bay’s top returnee in that category. And while Doubs lacks Watson’s speed, he’s a solid possession receiver who the Packers hope can blossom into their No. 2.
“It is not fun watching people freak out,” Doubs said Thursday about his injury. “Again, man, everything is progressing the way I’m supposed to do and everything that I’m supposed to do and I’m executing it the right way. However, this is a day-to-day thing.”
With Watson out — and Doubs questionable — others such as rookies Jayden Reed, Luke Musgrave and Malik Heath, and second-year man Samori Toure will be counted on for bigger things. The Packers will also lean heavily on their ground game led by running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
“We still had a whole week to kind of prepare for this,” LaFleur said. “So I wouldn’t say that would alter the plan too drastically, I think any time you’re missing one of your better players, certainly throws a little curveball to it. But I mean, that happens all the time.”
Still, it won’t make things any easier for Love, who’s making just his second career start.
Love had an impressive summer, finishing the preseason 21-of-33 for 193 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 109.8.
Now, he’ll have to try winning in Chicago without Watson — and perhaps Doubs.
“I’m excited for it,” Love said. “It’s always exciting to open the season and get the first game rolling. For an NFC opponent, a rivalry game, it’ll be very exciting, playing there in their stadium. I’m sure there will be a packed house. Everybody will be excited for Week 1. Put on a show.”
