Aaron Rodgers’ collarbone injury last year reminded us just how valuable he is to the Green Bay Packers. Jordy Nelson was the best example of this, as he failed to exceed 35 yards or score a touchdown once Rodgers went down. Now Nelson is gone and the race is on to replace him. One option is J’Mon Moore of Missouri, whom the Packers selected at the end of the fourth round.
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Moore spent four years at Missouri and eclipsed 1,000 yards as a junior and senior. He finished second in the SEC in receiving yards each year and earned a spot on the All-SEC second team as a senior. His college credentials are impressive and he’s in an elite situation, but there are plenty of obstacles that could prevent him from helping fantasy teams.
Reasons to Get Excited
Nelson’s Replacement
As mentioned, Nelson’s departure opens up quite a few targets in Green Bay’s offense. In 2014 and 2016, when both Nelson and Rodgers were healthy, Nelson saw 151 and 152 targets, respectively. That would have ranked sixth in the league in 2017. The Packers will continue to be a throwing team should Rodgers remain healthy.
Even better, the Packers do not have a clear starting option opposite Davante Adams. Randall Cobb could be an option, but he’s more of a slot receiver and hasn’t produced much except for his elite year in 2014 and his WR29 finish in 2015. Moore is as good a bet as anyone on Green Bay’s roster to start on the outside.
Rodgers’ Receivers
Rodgers tends to have at least two fantasy-relevant receivers. They were Nelson and Cobb in 2014, James Jones and Cobb in 2015 and Nelson and Adams in 2016. That’s why the spot opposite Adams is so important. Even Jones, who couldn’t even find work elsewhere, managed 890 yards and eight touchdowns after Nelson tore an ACL. It’s a premium position for fantasy and one Moore could very well earn.
Red Zone
Moore is big and strong. He’s 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds and his 21 reps on the bench press were the third-most among wide receivers at the combine. He also tied for fourth among receivers in the vertical jump (38 inches). Those are all the ingredients of a red zone threat. That wouldn’t mean much for a rookie on most teams, but on the Packers, it’s well worth remembering.
Reasons to Pump the Brakes
Other WRs Drafted
Moore’s prospects would look much better if he was the only wide receiver Green Bay selected. Unfortunately, he was the first of three. The Packers went on to select Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the fifth round and Equanimeous St. Brown in the sixth. Moore has an advantage as the first one selected, but the competition for reps will be stiff.
Jimmy Graham
It’s fair to wonder if newcomer Jimmy Graham will become Rodgers’ new Nelson instead of a typical outside receiver. Rodgers has never been one to throw to tight ends regularly, but he’s also never had a tight end as talented as Graham. Plus, Graham and Adams each scored 10 touchdowns last year, so they could cut into Moore’s red zone upside.
Speed
One knock on Moore was his 40 time at the combine. It was the sixth-slowest among wide receivers and third-slowest among those drafted. The other two were taken in the seventh round. That’s not what you want to see from a “size and speed prospect.”
Conclusion
Yeah, we probably wouldn’t be talking about Moore if he went to a team without an elite quarterback. But he did, so he gets all of the benefits that come with it. As such, he’ll have a shot at being the top rookie receiver in fantasy. He’s also not getting as much attention as the receivers drafted earlier, meaning he could be a steal. He is an excellent addition in the WR5 to WR6 range.
