Team news: Green Bay Packers | Page 15

Ryan Tannehill listed as “Did Not Practice.”

Related players: Malik Willis

Tannehill was in a walking boot after the game last week, but appeared at a recent press conference without the boot and said he was doing his best to play in Week 8. His status is worth monitoring for the rest of the week because if he can't go the rookie Willis would get the nod. Reports said Willis took the first team reps on Wednesday.

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is out of the walking boot.

Related players: Malik Willis

Tannehill said he has an ankle sprain but he is improving. He was in a boot after last week's win over the Colts and we reported Tuesday that Tannehill is working toward playing in Week 8. That remains to be seen. Willis would get the call if Tannehill can't go.

As Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill limped away from his postgame press conference with a walking boot on his right foot Sunday afternoon, the physical effects of a hard-fought win against the Indianapolis Colts were evident.

"I know he's one of the toughest guys on the team," center Ben Jones said. "A lot of quarterbacks don't get that role. He's that guy for us. He's a leader. We lay our hat on and we love that guy."

Related players: Malik Willis

The story went on to say the extent of his injury hasn't been disclosed, but Tannehill said he intends to work his way into playing the next game. Through six games, he has only 1,097 passing yards and six touchdown passes. If you have room on your roster, Willis may be worth a stash now until we learn more about the injury.

Christian Watson (hamstring) joins WR Jake Hanson (elbow) and WR Randall Cobb (ankle) on the sidelines for Thursday's practice.

Related Players: Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers

Watson had been rotating in during Weeks 4 and 5 before missing last week's game, and it's trending toward that inevitability again. Sammy Watkins has been activated off IR and could be a go for Week 7, so targets could spread more spread out as the season continues, which is bad news for Allen Lazard.

RB A.J. Dillon added to report with a knee and is limited.

Related players: Aaron Jones, Patrick Taylor

It's at least a good sign he was limited, but it's worth monitoring heading into Week 4. The Packers host the Patriots in a later afternoon game on Sunday.

Hunter Renfrow is officially out for Week 3 with a concussion while teammate Josh Jacobs is questionable with an illness.

Renfrow has far and away led the team in slot routes through two weeks and is one of only three WRs who have received a target thus far in the season. Mack Hollins is the best bet to fill much of the Renfrow role with a semi-promotion possibly going to Tyron Johnson.

The full quote from head coach Matt LaFleur on rookie Christian Watson went as follows; "“He’s a young player and I think he’s far from a finished product. That’s a credit to him because he’s still a guy who we’re going to try to find ways to get him the football. … I’m really pleased with where he is, but also know that he’s got a long way to go for him to maximize his potential.”

Though Watson's role in the offense is almost guaranteed to grow in a questionable wide receiver room, he has run fewer routes than teammates Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, Romeo Doubs, and Aaron Jones through two weeks. The good news is Watson is being utilized both out of the slot and out wide, but is still losing utilization behind veterans Cobb and Watkins in each alignment. The rookie is irrelevant to fantasy until further notice.

Those formations (two true running backs and no fullback) are commonly referred to as “Pony” personnel — a nod to the 1980s SMU Mustangs’ “Pony Express” RB pairing of Eric Dickerson and Craig James. And the Packers’ version with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon has been incredibly effective in 2022. Jones has earned a first down on half of his 20 carries so far; Dillon is third in the NFL at a first-downs-per-rush rate of 32.1 percent.

With the loss of WR Davante Adams, the Packers just want to get their best players on the field at the same time, and that means more of Jones and Dillon together. While Jones is a must-play for fantasy owners every week, Dillon is making a case to be one as well. Getting on the field more will only help make that case. Dillon wasn't a huge fantasy factor in Week 2, but he was in Week 1 when the Packers played from behind. We reported yesterday that QB Aaron Rodgers said on a podcast the team wants to get Jones and Dillon at least 15 touches each per game.

"The goal is to always get Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon the ball ... the flows of different games don't allow it sometimes," Aaron Rodgers.

Jones stood out last week, but in Week 1 it was Dillon who out-carried Jones and also had more receptions. While both players are worthy starting in fantasy lineups their workload may not be guaranteed every week. But it sounds like Rodgers and the Packers want to include the running backs as a major part of the game plan.