Christian Watson suffered an apparent injury after going up for a 53-yard reception against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8. Watson went up for a contested catch against rookie cornerback Will Lee. He caught the pass, but both Watson and the cornerback ended up on the field hurt.
The Packers announced that Watson suffered a chest injury, and that his return to the game is questionable. Reports are that Watson is heading to a local hospital for preliminary tests, so the odds of him returning seem unlikely at the moment.
He left the game on that drive and went into the locker room. After examining him in the locker room, they decided to take him to a hospital. Green Bay capped off the drive with a touchdown to take a 13-10 lead.
Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Christian Watson Injured in Week 8
Watson is having a great season, but one of the biggest questions facing him is injuries. He missed a couple of games during his rookie season due to a hamstring issue. The hamstring injuries caused him to play only nine games in his second season.
He was a bit healthier in 2024, playing in 15 games. However, that season ended with an ACL injury that caused him to miss seven games the following season. However, from the midway point of the 2025 season through the first seven weeks of the 2026 season, he has been healthy. It has led to one of the best stretches of his NFL career.
Watson has played 17 games since coming back from his ACL injury. He has 69 receptions for 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns. That would be an excellent season. Now, the question is how long he will be out.
Packers Thin at Wide Receiver Without Watson
With Watson questionable to return, the team is getting thin at wide receiver. They entered the game with Jayden Reed and Skyy Moore on the IR. Beyond that, second-year receiver Matthew Golden entered the game questionable.
Golden is playing but has a foot and shoulder injury. Golden, Watson and tight end Tucker Kraft account for 168 of their 263 targets.
Second-year receiver Savion Williams has stepped into a bigger role, and now might be asked to be one of the Packers’ top two receivers. Bo Melton and J. Michael Sturdivant are the next names up if Watson continues to miss time. Sturdivant was the receiver to slide into the role that Watson played on the following drive. The rookie UDFA has three catches for 22 yards.
The Packers could also lean into more two-tight-end looks. They made Jonnu Smith inactive, but they have Josh Whyle and Mark Redman healthy as the two tight ends behind Tucker Kraft.
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