Green Bay's 'Elite' Skill Players Are Stuck at No. 17 and the Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore

Alright 12s, you ever wonder why some teams just can't get over that hump, year after year? Well, check this out: ESPN's Bill Barnwell just dropped his skill-position rankings for every NFL team, and get this, the Green Bay Packers are sitting at a painfully consistent 17th place. Yeah, you read that right, *17th* for three straight seasons. It's the picture of consistent mediocrity, and for a team with so much supposed talent, that's just wild to see.

The 'What If' That Keeps Them Grounded

Barnwell's breakdown highlights running back Josh Jacobs, the slimmed-down receiver corps of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden, plus tight end Tucker Kraft. On paper, this group sounds like it should be higher than 17th, right? And Barnwell agrees. He straight up said, "We've seen all four of those players take over games and look unstoppable at times over the past couple of seasons. If they could all stay on the field together for 17 games, we would be looking at one of the most devastating groups of playmakers in the league." That's high praise. When these guys *were* on the field together in 2024, the Packers averaged 0.14 EPA per play, which is solid! The problem? That's a massive "if," and their injury report tells a brutal story.

A Season Lost to the Sidelines

Here's the kicker, and why that "elite" potential doesn't

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translate to a top-tier ranking: last season, 2025, they were almost never together. Christian Watson missed the start of the season with a torn ACL. Jayden Reed was out for the middle of the season battling a foot injury and a broken collarbone. And then Tucker Kraft missed the end of the season with *his own* torn ACL. Jacobs wasn't immune either, with a knee injury sapping his power, leading to three of his four worst games in yards after contact coming in the final three losses of the season: Week 16 at Chicago, Week 17 against Baltimore, and that playoff game, also at Chicago. It's a revolving door in the infirmary, and it's crushing their potential. With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone, last year's draft picks, Golden and Savion Williams, are going to have to step up big time, because there's just no proven depth to pick up the slack if the injury bug bites again. So, for the Packers, the entire season rides on everyone staying upright. Barnwell concluded this group "could literally be the best one-through-five group in the league if everyone is healthy and at their best." But then he hit us with the reality check: "Yet the chances of that happening explain why they rank 17th." They *could* be great, but they haven't proven they *can* be healthy. If they don't, that 17th ranking isn't just a number, it's a prediction of what's to come for their season. You gotta wonder if this is the year they break the cycle, or if it's more of the same.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.