Another Thursday night matchup, another clash against Super Bowl hopefuls. The Washington Commanders are heading to Lambeau to battle against the Green Bay Packers. Both teams are coming off strong opening weekends and are looking to find back-to-back wins on a short week. For us fantasy football players, there are plenty of marquee players to watch this week. Time to dive in.
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Thursday Night Preview: Commanders vs. Packers
Players That Are in Your Lineup
Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love (QB), Josh Jacobs (RB), Tucker Kraft (TE)
Green Bay is one of the trickiest offenses to get right for fantasy. Despite the team being very good, their wide receiver room is a mess. It’s not fun trying to guess which receiver will score. Last week, it was Jayden Reed. This week, who knows? No receiver in Green Bay had more than three catches against Detroit in Week 1. Six receivers (as well as two tight ends and two running backs) caught a ball, making it feel even more like a lottery ticket at times.
What we do know is that the Packers will lean on Josh Jacobs to set the tone for the game. Jacobs, who carried the ball 19 times and caught one against Detroit, is an every-week start that will likely produce once again against the Commanders. Jordan Love will look to keep the momentum going from his stellar performance in Week 1. Tucker Kraft is a solid play who can be a major player in this matchup.
Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels (QB),  Deebo Samuel (WR), Zach Ertz (TE)
The Commanders were one of the most fun surprises of the 2024 season, and they kicked off their 2025 campaign with a decisive victory over the New York Giants. Jayden Daniels is an elite quarterback for fantasy football. Not much decision-making needed there if he’s on your roster. Deebo Samuel had an electric opener in his first game in a Washington uniform. He adds another layer to the Commander passing attack that was missing in 2024. Zach Ertz doesn’t run much after making the catch, but he catches the ball pretty frequently. If you needed a streaming TE this early, Ertz is a good fit for that.
Check out all of our Week 2 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
Fringe Playable Players
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington
I know folks aren’t going to like me calling their WR2 a semi-playable asset. I worry that McLaurin is still ramping up after missing most of training camp. There is also some doubt surrounding his ability to get the ball on longer-developing plays while the O-Line attempts to handle Micah Parsons. McLaurin is a fine start if you don’t have a more sure-fire option. Just adjust expectations on the recently paid WR for one more week.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington
Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt is a fantasy football sensation. He’s a good player, but it’s his rapid ascension as a fantasy-viable running back who has folks excited to see him play on Thursday. I feel bad pouring cold water on this player, but I don’t necessarily feel excited to start him against the Packers’ defense. Green Bay held the lethal tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to just 44 yards combined. Start him if you need to. I do think it’ll be a stressful watch.
Austin Ekeler, RB, Washington
A lot of the same sentiments above ring true for the other Washington running back. The main difference between the two is Ekeler’s strength as a receiver. If the run game doesn’t get off the ground, Ekeler’s role as a pass-catching back will be important for the Commanders. I don’t think he will catch 10 passes like Gibbs the week prior, but he does serve as an interesting option for teams with fewer options at RB.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay
He’s not an exciting roster addition to your fantasy team, but Romeo Doubs is someone who often becomes an intriguing play. He currently leads the team in receiving on just two catches. That will probably change on Thursday, but for the time being, Doubs is a dart throw that could surprise us with a good game.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay
Jayden Reed led the team in targets last week, despite only playing on 38% of the snaps. His low snap-count, combined with the Jones Fracture he’s nursing, makes me skeptical about his usage going forward. He did catch a touchdown with one of his three catches. The team does want to utilize his skillset, but it just comes in small snippets.
Players to Leave on the Bench
The Rest of the Green Bay Receiving Corps
Matthew Golden, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams should all stay on your bench, assuming they aren’t just chilling on the waiver wire. It’s just too unpredictable to trust for fantasy production.
Players to Watch
Oddly Enough, the Green Bay Receiving Corps
We need to see if this receiving room is as complicated as it seems after just a single week of games. There are a couple of players who can separate themselves from the pack, but we just need to see it first before we can rely on them for fantasy.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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