These Players Are About to Explode — Don't Miss the Window

**Joey Wright** (0:00)
Awkward time to ask this, but hey, did you download the trail map?

**SPEAKER_2** (0:04)
Yeah, no, I don't need to.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:05)
I don't understand, you're trusting your signal out here?

**SPEAKER_2** (0:08)
I'm trusting T-Mobile. They have the best network. And if we end up in bum-tots nowhere, well, we've got T-Satellite for backup.

**Joey Wright** (0:14)
Well, I don't trust my carrier that much.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:17)
Well, just use your phone as a flashlight.

**SPEAKER_4** (0:20)
With America's best network and T-Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four lines. Find out more at tmobile.com or visit your local store.

**SPEAKER_3** (0:37)
Best mobile network based on analysis by Euclid Speedtest Intelligence Data 2Age 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and four eligible port-ins on Essentials. For well-qualified customers with auto pay plus taxes, fees and $35 connection charge per line. Credits and imbalance too. If you pay off earlier, cancel, contact us. Finance Agreement Example 29999 Moto Edge 5G required. T-Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky. Included with experience beyond $10 a month. For news monthly, cancel anytime, visit tmobile.com.

**SPEAKER_5** (1:00)
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**Dave Kluge** (1:26)
The window to get these guys is closing quickly. Every single year, we see players evolve from being a role player to a superstar. Today, Joey Wright and I are going to talk about some of our favorite breakout candidates. Joey, the first guy you want to talk about. Many may argue that he already broke out last year, but you think that there's still room for Christian Watson to grow. Let's hear about it.

**Joey Wright** (1:47)
Yeah, earlier this offseason, I was kind of singing my praises for Christian Watson, and I just want to thank everybody. At that time, he was the wide receiver, 28, and you guys all listened. We have seen his ADP rise to wide receiver, 27, Dave. They were listening to our show, so he moved up one spot. We did it everybody, but I think there's still room for that. Watson missed the first seven weeks of last year. This is where you kind of bring in the people may argue they already broke out. I will say that I think the breakout has already started. From that moment that Watson stepped on the field, he was a wide receiver nine from week eight until the end of the season, and that came almost all from efficiency. He averaged 17 yards per reception throughout his career, which you might think is just okay. He's a deep threat. Now, he excels in intermediate areas as well. 2026 does see a less crowded receiver room with Romeo Dobbs and Dontavian Wicks moving on to greener or more patriotic pastures. That's pretty funny.
But we saw Watson get a 20% target share last year when those guys were all on the field.
That number is surely going to come up with Jaden, sorry, with Romeo Dobbs and Dontavian Wicks now gone. He's an extremely efficient wide receiver, looking at an expanded workload in 2026
All signs point to a continued breakout for him. The Packers' decisions this offseason told me that that's true.

**Dave Kluge** (3:10)
Yeah. I'll talk about that a little bit with the next guy that I want to talk about as well. But first focusing on Christian Watson. Yeah, this guy, sky high expectations. I think we are so quick to forget.
We just talked on the last episode we did, Joey, about Dijon Stribling and these guys that get drafted early in round two, Stribling, the first pick of round two. Christian Watson was the second pick of round two when he was drafted. Ninety-eighth percentile size adjusted speed, six foot four. Like this guy was a freak athlete that we knew had a little bit of refinement that he needed to learn to really break out. And I don't know how well you remember this, Joey. His first target in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers threw a deep ball and it slipped right through fingertips and drops were a big problem when he was in college. So I think so many people were just quick to say, well, that's who I thought Christian Watson was and that's who he is. Then he didn't do much for his first couple of years in the league, always kind of floating around 40 yards per game, had the drops, was very limited in what he could do. Last year, he comes back from that ACL tear, looks like a completely different player, like running more diverse routes, running crossers across the middle of the field, catching balls in the intermediate areas, making plays after the catch, like just completely developed from this vertical threat to this all-around X receiver. And I think that's why the Packers had confidence moving on from some of these other wide receivers, because everybody kind of had their role. And now Christian Watson isn't just in his role as a vertical threat. Now he can kind of do it all, and they're going to have more faith leaning on him as a full-time player.