Packers vs. Rams
Packers
Will Green Bay be able to keep it close?
Green Bay has been an exceedingly underwhelming team to watch this season and in nearly every week, including Week Six against San Francisco, Green Bay had to struggle last minute to win the game. It’s like watching the 2016 Detroit Lions all over again. Los Angeles has a great pass defense, but out of sheer volume, Aaron Rodgers have a high volume game. Green Bay’s offense is healthy for the first time in weeks and should help contribute.
Running Back Desert
Green Bay remains uncommitted to the run game and short of a touchdown, Week Eight against Los Angeles will not do anything to change that plan. All three backs share about 30% of the snaps and each is good for single-digit carries and a few targets. Aaron Jones is the best back on the team, but the team’s running back by committee approach does not leave Jones with substantive enough work to be relevant.
All These Receivers from which to Pick
Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison are both healthy for the first time since Week 3 and 4 respectively. The biggest question in this unit is how much work Marquez Valdez-Scantling will still receive moving forward after proving a competent replacement over the past four weeks. In Week Eight, Davante Adams is a must start and in most leagues Allison should get a flex start as he was averaging over seven targets per game prior to his injury and producing effectively.
Jimmy Graham Time
For as effective as Los Angeles is on defense, they are deficient at preventing tight ends from producing having allowed 71 yards per game to opposing tight ends (granted 200 total yards came from Week One against Oakland). Jimmy Graham has seen inconsistent production this season, but is averaging 7.5 targets per game and is a strong fantasy play in Week Eight.
-Brennen Gorman
Rams
How much will the Rams win by this time?
I’ve come to the point where asking if either QB Jared Goff or RB Todd Gurley can be stopped, is getting ridiculous and very redundant. This game might be a bit more challenging, but the Packers’ last win came against the very banged up and defensively deficient 49er team. And that game featured a very porous Packer defense, in my opinion. They are coming off a bye and now face a real opponent in LA, at home and absolutely humming. Sure, Aaron Rodgers will have all of his receivers back, but they don’t play defense. They’ll be trying to keep up with this prolific offense led by one of, if not the, best offensive mind in the league, Sean McVay. The Rams are the best in protecting their quarterback and that bodes horribly for Green Bay.
Can the Rams rally without Kupp?
The Rams were able to do so last week against San Francisco and that’s all I need to feel confident in this week’s game-plan. I could see WR Josh Reynolds having a solid game, after getting more comfortable with the offense and his role. Meanwhile, WRs Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods have been outstanding and creating havoc every game. I also think the Rams make more usage out of the tight end position with either Tyler Higbee or Gerald Everett, not to mention Gurley, who has been fantastic in the passing game.
Can Aaron Donald keep Rodgers in check?
Now that Rodgers seems to be pretty healthy and has zero issue erasing deficits and slinging the ball wherever he so chooses, asking any defense to hold their own is a tall order. If DTs Aaron Donald and Co. can get to Rodgers to keep him off balance a good amount, then it should be smooth sailing. WR Davante Adams has been extremely consistent all season long and should be shadowed by CB Marcus Peters, who conversely has not been consistently good for LA. Lucky for the Rams, it’s not like the Packers have some otherworldly running back. I have my doubts on whether the Rams can bottle up Rodgers, but I do think they step up enough to keep their record perfect.
-Joe Hanretty