Once buried on the offseason depth chart and considered an unlikely prospect, Green Bay Packers quarterback Emanuel Wilson has emerged as a viable weapon for coach Matt LaFleur behind starter Josh Jacobs.
Through three games, Wilson is second on the Packers’ offense in touches (25) and third in total yards (142). Who would have guessed? Wilson’s breakthrough game came Sunday, when he caught his first career touchdown and set a novel career high for total yards (85) during the Packers’ 30-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans. In Week 1, Wilson sparked the Packers’ offense in the first half with a pair of 10-plus rushing drives.
With veteran AJ Dillon on the injured reserve list since the beginning of the season and third-round draft pick Lloyd on the short-term injured reserve list and sidelined for the next three weeks, Wilson has a real chance to establish himself as the true No. 2 quarterback in Green Bay in 2024. And he’s taking full advantage of that opportunity early in the season.
It’s early, but Wilson is averaging 5.0 yards per carry, with three carries of 10-plus yards, five forced fumbles and six first downs on just 21 attempts. His success rate as a runner is 57.1 percent — 11th-best among running backs with at least 15 attempts this season. He also caught a 30-yard touchdown pass on a swing screen on Sunday, showcasing his explosiveness and vision as a runner in the open field. His pass protection — typically a tough area for teenage running backs to improve — is drastically improved in 2024. In fact, Wilson ranks fifth in pass protection grade among running backs by Pro Football Focus after three weeks. Again, the sample size is compact, but he’s made intelligent and physical blocks, collecting blitzers on three separate occasions in four pass-blocking plays this season, including a block that allowed Malik Willis to rush for a first down last Sunday.
Stop that ball!
Emanuel Wilson scores his first NFL point 🙌
📺: #GBvsTEN – Sunday on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG photo:twitter.com/0TW8INVcwc— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
While that’s likely a function of Jacobs carrying the ball 32 times in Week 2, Wilson and Jacobs mostly split touchdowns Sunday in the Nashville heat. Jacobs was on the field for 33 touchdowns, while Wilson played for 26. Throughout his career as a quarterback, LaFleur has preferred to split reps and touches with running backs to keep the position fresh and well.
With Wilson, the Packers will have an easier time making that distinction.
Like Jacobs, Wilson is a powerful player with impressive momentum. He runs tough and flashes impressive contact balance. His improvement in the passing game has helped him develop from an thrilling running prospect into a legitimate all-around player in an NFL offense.
The Packers still like Lloyd, a third-round pick and another big-time running back with explosive momentum. But Wilson’s arrival early in 2024 has allowed the Packers to start running back without Dillon and Lloyd behind Jacobs. His early season success likely isn’t just a mirage — Wilson looks like a three-down player for LaFleur and the Packers’ deep offense.
