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The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft brought a ripple of surprise — and excitement — when the Green Bay Packers finally broke their age-old first-round WR drought by selecting Matthew Golden. But among fantasy football obsessives, the buzz didn’t stop with the pick. In the latest crossover episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast and Football 301, Matt Harmon, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald broke down exactly why Golden could be the game-changer both the Packers and your fantasy roster need.
Green Bay finally breaks out of character — for good reason
For two decades, the Packers have famously resisted taking receivers in Round 1, and they tend to prioritize big-bodied, outside targets. Golden bucks both trends: he’s a bit lighter than their historic athletic thresholds, and he brings a different flavor to the table than their current WR corps. As Nate Tice put it, this was surprising given Green Bay’s “usual weight thresholds,” but the move immediately made sense once you examined the room around Golden: “The positive is, the rest of the room is so big and can handle all these things. You can drop in a quote-unquote, maybe slightly undersized guy in there.”
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The Packers have their big, physical outside presences — think Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson (when healthy) — and Jaden Reed thriving in the slot. This means Golden can be used as a chess piece, opening up combinations Green Bay hasn’t had in years.
Matt Harmon is as bullish as anyone on Golden’s outlook, and he zeroed in on two critical factors for fantasy success:
1) Role and Routes: Golden’s two best routes by frequency and success rate, per Harmon’s Reception Perception, are posts and digs — in other words, big in-breakers. This fits Green Bay’s offense (especially with Jordan Love) to a tee. Harmon stated: “This offense, especially with Jordan Love under center, they want to … drop, use play action or drop back and rip big in-breakers … Matthew Golden, his route running and separation is best expressed at the breakpoint of those routes in particular.”
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2) Defense Dictation: One myth Harmon wanted to bust: the Packers don’t “need a No. 1” so much as they need someone who forces defenses to pay attention and stretch the field. Golden’s speed and route nuance do that — whether he’s flying by safeties or opening the middle for Reed and Doubs. Harmon stated: “Without Christian Watson … you don’t have anybody that really stretches out the defense … Golden’s going to allow you to do that.”
The Packers are a run-heavy team, yes, but that’s not the whole story. With their spread of talent, defenses can’t double everyone. Harmon notes that Golden can thrive even if he’s not the “WR1” by label. Golden’s skills translate into open targets, and Harmon believes his “toughness at the catch point” has been underrated. With Reed (in the slot), Doubs (as the physical X) and a healthy tight end group, Golden’s Z-receiver skill set will put him in single coverage — a formula for rookie WR breakouts.
Going back to Christian Watson, his constant injuries mean Golden could immediately inherit deep and intermediate work — something previous Packer receivers have turned into fantasy gold. “You’re basically replacing Watson. It just comes in a different package,” Harmon said.
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Every draft class brings “surprise” first-round receivers. But when you zoom in on Matthew Golden’s landing spot, you see the pieces falling into place for a fantasy-relevant rookie campaign:
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Perfect scheme fit for his strengths (big posts and digs).
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Opportunity for targets in a well-constructed, but not top-heavy, WR corps.
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Ability to stretch the field and command defensive attention in ways that unlock the whole Packers offense.
If you’re chasing rookie WR upside in fantasy — and want a player whose skills align perfectly with what his team needs — Matthew Golden is the name to circle. The Packers and your fantasy lineup could both be long overdue for a breakout.
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