The Green Bay Packers’ record in Week 10 is 6-3. While NFL seasons no longer consist of 16 games, the nine-game bye week provides something of a middle ground.
If the season ended today, the Packers would be third in the NFC North, but they would also be the No. 7 seed in the NFC, which would mean a trip to the playoffs.
Who were the best players on Matt LaFleur’s team? Who needs to step up?
Here are the stars, studs and duds from the first half of the Packers’ season:
Stars
WR Jayden Reed: Entering Week 10, Reed ranks sixth among all NFL wide receivers in receiving yards (620), 10th in yards per catch (17.2), fifth in yards after the catch (286), sixth in yards per catch (286), route running (2.63) and sixth in catch percentage (77.8), first in rushing yards (110), third in catches over 20 yards (12), first in catches over 40 yards (5) and second in yards from the slot (462). He also leads the NFL in drops per PFF, so Reed left plenty of players on the field. In terms of playmaking ability, Reed proved his star status as a sophomore.
Sr. Xavier McKinney: The former Giant intercepted passes in six of his first eight games, including five straight to start the season, and totaled seven sacks in nine games. He even created a fierce third-down attack and had three presses in just six tackles. McKinney was everything the Packers dreamed of and more, bringing reliability in coverage and as a tackler, as well as a game-changing ability to create quick plays and massive plays for freshman defenseman Jeff Hafley.
RT Zach Tom: Now in his second year as a full-time starter, Tom has established himself as one of the best right tackles in the NFL. He has allowed just one foul and 11 total pressures in 328 pass-blocking snaps, and his Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade ranks third among all offensive tackles. He approaches his duties as a blocker like David Bakhtiari: peaceful but dominant.
Heels
RB Josh Jacobs: The former Raider is third in rushing yards (762), second in yards after contact (590), fourth in missed tackles forced (33) and fourth in yards over 10 yards (20), and also recorded his first in career touchdown. Jacobs is fifth in yards from scrimmage and fifth in total touches. While perhaps not as lively as Aaron Jones, Jacobs was a reliable workhorse. He has seven games with at least 90 yards receiving (including a current five-game streak) and five games with at least 25 yards receiving (including a current three-game streak).
Sr. Evan Williams: The rookie did his best Xavier McKinney impression when it came to combining massive plays with valuable reliability. Williams intercepted a Hail Mary to end the victory over the Colts, broke up a pass on fourth down to secure the victory over the Rams, forced a fumble and secured a two-point conversion in the victory over the Cardinals, and led the team with nine tackles against the Texans. The fourth-rounder has only played 231 snaps so far, but ranks fourth among safeties in PFF’s class.
LB Edgerrin Cooper: So. A lot of. Speed. The rookie often looks like he’s playing at a different speed than the other 21 players on the pitch. Cooper has 2.5 sacks, including a strip sack and a fumble recovery. He was great in the downhill game and didn’t seem out of place defensively. Despite playing part-time, Cooper ranks fourth on the Packers defense in tackles and fifth in stops. Expect his playing time to enhance and his impact to skyrocket. Cooper has legitimate star potential.
TE Tucker Kraft: He turned out to be the clear number one at the end of the regular season, and the first nine games showed why. Kraft is a dominant run blocker in motion and a player who is nearly impossible to tackle in the open field. His five receiving touchdowns rank second among tight ends. Kraft is averaging 9.6 yards per target, with most of his shots coming after the catch. His catches for 66 yards against the Rams and 67 yards against the Jaguars were two of the Packers’ longest offensive plays this season.
QB Malik Willis: Acquired just days before the season opener, Willis played a savior role as the backup quarterback in the first half of 2024. The Packers won both of their early season starts, and Willis came off the bench to lead the Packers to victory. slow victory in Jacksonville. Matt LaFleur protected him in the run game, but Willis performed well as a passer, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes, averaging 9.7 yards per attempt and avoiding turnovers. His passer rating is 130.3 and he rushed for 137 yards. It’s strenuous to imagine the 6-3 Packers without the magic Willis created as a backup.
LB Eric Wilson: The veteran has a team-high seven tackles for loss, along with two sacks and an interception. He played his two best games as a Packers linebacker this season, in wins against the Colts and Texans. Wilson also played a team-high 171 snaps on special teams.
Mr. Daniel Whelan: His net average is 43.9 yards, which ranks sixth among players and will set a up-to-date team record if he continues through the winter months in Green Bay. Sixteen of his punts were downed inside the 20, and his 11 punts returned resulted in just 77 return yards. His average hang time of 4.65 seconds ranks second among players. Whelan consistently turned the field around for the Packers’ special teams.
Sr. Zayne Anderson: Many wondered why the Packers kept Anderson over Anthony Johnson Jr. in a safe and sound place. Well, Anderson was outstanding on special teams – he recorded a team-high seven total tackles. Only four players have had more team receptions in the NFL this season. Anderson has a tackle involving a kick or punt in seven of the Packers’ nine games.
Duds
WR Dontayvion Wicks: The second-year receiver is either the most or second in the NFL, depending on your preferred stat service. Among receivers with at least 30 targets, Wicks ranks last in catch percentage (37.2) and is one of only two receivers with a catch percentage below 40 percent and a yards per target average below 5.0. He has given up straightforward and challenging catches – Wicks is 0-for-9 on contested catch opportunities this season, according to PFF. The Packers desperately need him to shake things off and become a reliable weapon in the second half.
DE Lukas Van Ness: The Packers’ 2023 first-round draft pick turned 141 pass rushes into just six total tackles. Van Ness actually has more missed tackles (3) and penalties (3) than his total sacks and quarterback hits (2). His pass rush winning percentage is just 6.7, which ranks him 103rd out of 126 qualifying pass rushers this season. Yes. The Packers traded away Preston Smith, clearing the way for more snaps on defense. Could Van Ness start production in the second half? The Packers’ pass rush may depend on it.
DL Kenny Clark: Surprisingly, Clark is not sacked and has just two tackles and two quarterback hits in nine games. He forced 16 pressures, but his lack of impact on the game is glaring, especially for a player the Packers had just signed to a major contract. Clark is playing through a finger injury, so he may be revived if the problem heals during the bye. The Packers need him to start destroying games again.
CB Eric Stokes: The return from injury was challenging for Stokes, who despite playing part-time, allowed 25 catches and a team-high 293 receiving yards. Stokes has proven to be so unreliable that the Packers have experimented with Keisean Nixon as a cornerback opposite Jaire Alexander and seem to prefer him. Two injury-riddled seasons could have derailed his career. Stokes, a rising free agent, could play the final eight regular-season games with the Packers in the second half of 2024.
LB Quay Walker: Will the airy switch ever come on for a first-rounder in 2022? Walker is massive and swift, but he rarely plays strenuous on the run and rarely displays the elite speed to create massive plays. His greatest asset may be being a blitzer. Only 18 of Walker’s 64 tackles were considered “stops,” and teams consistently hounded him. This is Year 3. It’s time to worry about Walker as a long-term part of the Packers defense.
K. Brayden Narveson: He no longer plays in Green Bay, but through six games into the season, Narveson was the worst kicker in football. The Packers advised patience, but had no choice but to move on from the rookie. Through six weeks, Narveson failed to make an NFL-high five field goals, all of them within 50 yards, including one under 40.
