Will Amari Rodgers Have a Sizable Rookie-Year Role in the Packers' Offense?
The Green Bay Packers may be losing one Rodgers (or maybe not, who knows) but they gained another. The Packers took wideout Amari Rodgers with the 85th pick in the third round on Friday night.
Rodgers played on a loaded Clemson offense and didn't truly break out until his senior season, posting 1,020 receiving yards and seven scores in 2020. He delivered versus top competition last year, totaling 16 catches for 255 yards and a touchdown in two matchups with Notre Dame.
What should we expect from Rodgers in 2021?
Player Comparisons
Brandon Gdula's draft database has found these 10 prior prospects to have the most similar statistical profiles to Rodgers. Keep in mind that these are based not on play style or traits but age, athleticism, draft equity, experience, efficiency, and production.
| Amari Rodgers Profile Comparisons | Similarity |
|---|---|
| Bruce Ellington | 88.8% |
| Parris Campbell | 87.6% |
| Kealoha Pilares | 87.2% |
| Josh Huff | 86.6% |
| Taylor Price | 85.6% |
| ArDarius Stewart | 85.5% |
| Golden Tate | 85.3% |
| Cornell Powell | 84.6% |
| Antonio Callaway | 84.0% |
| Terry McLaurin | 84.0% |
Gdula's Take: Via PFF, Rodgers led the nation in slot catches and was second in screen catches in 2020. His stature and profile suggest he's a slot-only NFL wide receiver
Rodgers' 2021 Fantasy Football Projection
Zachariason's initial projections for Rodgers include 44 receptions, 521 yards and 3.9 touchdowns, making him the PPR WR79 for the season.
Davante Adams is the clear target hog on the Packers' offense, but there are no set-in-stone options after that even though Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan have all played well at times. Rodgers could work his way into a meaningful role. Of course, if Aaron Rodgers isn't under center, the ceiling and floor are lowered for everyone in this offense.
On FanDuel Sportsbook, the Packers are listed at +1600 to win the Super Bowl and -140 to capture the NFC North.
