Jayden Reed, Josh Jacobs Fantasy Football Outlook After Eagles vs. Packers

Zach BacharContributor ISeptember 7, 2024

Pedro Vilela/Pedro Vilela

Jayden Reed and Josh Jacobs wrapped up contrasting performances on Friday night as the Green Bay Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-29 in Week 1 action from Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.

Reed thrived on the ground and through the air, hauling in four catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. This included a 70-yard grab in the second quarter, as he made Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson miss a tackle before sprinting into the end zone.

NFL @NFLJAYDEN REED LEFT WIDE OPEN FOR THE 70-YARD TD.

📺: #GBvsPHI on Peacock pic.twitter.com/cAvTn5HLLd

The 24-year-old also added 33 rushing yards and a score with just one carry, giving the Packers an early 12-7 lead.

B/R Gridiron @brgridironJayden Reed takes it to the house as the Packers retake the lead 🧀

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/xMEDDFbhN9

Reed picked up right where he left off to end the 2023 season, as the former second-round pick developed into one of Jordan Love’s top options. Over his final eight regular-season appearances last year, he recorded 460 receiving yards and 100 rush yards to go along with seven total touchdowns.

Fantasy managers should note that Reed’s ability to generate big plays could cause his production to fluctuate on a weekly basis, especially since he was targeted just four times and received only one carry against Philadelphia.

However, it’s certainly possible that head coach Matt LaFleur is going to get him more involved in Green Bay’s offense moving forward after his tremendous Week 1 outing.

Josh Jacobs made headlines when he signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers in free agency. He was expected to pay a large role in the team’s offense after leading the NFL in rushing during the 2022 season.

NFL @NFLGet ready Green Bay, @iAM_JoshJacobs is coming 🧀 pic.twitter.com/1X2V3Ltyx3

Jacobs’ debut for Green Bay didn’t go as planned, as the 26-year-old was only able to muster 84 yards on 16 attempts and couldn’t find the end zone after a very slow first half on the ground. Second-year backup Emmanuel Wilson played better than Jacobs for much of the game as he ran for 46 yards on just four carries.

While it’s way too early for Jacobs’ fantasy owners to hit the panic button, his struggles are a cause for concern heading into Week 2. It’s still a promising sign that he received a larger workload against the Eagles, making his ability to bounce back much easier.

After signing a hefty deal with Green Bay, it’s also highly unlikely that the team would stop featuring him in the offense after just one subpar performance.

As for Reed, he should be a staple of fantasy managers’ lineups moving forward.