Packers at Jaguars: 5 best fantasy options

August 26, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) runs with the football against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Davis (43) during the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It should be a busy afternoon for those fans in Jacksonville that have their seats in the end zone. Both the Packers and Jaguars should be making frequent visits.

There figures to be a ton of points scored this Sunday afternoon at Jacksonville as the improved Jaguars host the always-formidable Green Bay Packers.

We take a look at the top fantasy options from 5 to 1 when it comes to these teams, although given the caliber of these offenses we may be shortchanging you a bit.

5. WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

After a standout rookie campaign in 2014 which saw him open up some eyes in both the regular season and the playoffs, the talented wide receiver from Fresno State took a step backwards due to numerous reasons.

Davante Adams was supposed to take the natural next step forward in his second year but a nagging ankle injury short-circuited those plans. Combine that with a severe case of the dropsies and it added up to a frustrating 2015 campaign.

In his debut year, the 2014 second-round pick caught 38 passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season, then followed that up with eight grabs for 124 yards and one score – the vast majority of that coming in the NFC Divisional Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys.

Yet despite the fact that Adams tied for third on the club with 50 catches last season, they added up to a paltry 483 yards (9.7 average) and resulted in only one trip to the end zone. The second-year pro looked a bit healthier this preseason and he could be a big-time bounce back performer for Mike McCarthy’s club this season.

With Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb drawing plenty of attention (and the former coming off a lost 2015 season), as well as downfield threat tight end Jared Cook preoccupying defenses as well, Adams is in prime position to excel this fall and he will get off to a good start this Sunday. The Jaguars have plenty of new faces in the secondary and it may take a little time for this unit to settle in.

Aug 28, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks on in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

4. QB Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

Remember when the original plan was to have the third overall pick in the 2014 draft sit out his entire rookie season?

Whether you believed that was going to be the plan all along is a moot point. What’s more important are the strides that quarterback Blake Bortles made from his first year to his second. And that’s just one reason that there is optimism in Jacksonville for the first time in recent memory.

The third overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft tied for second in the league with 35 touchdown passes this past season, compared to only 18 interceptions. It was quite a leap from Bortles’ debut campaign, which saw him limited to 11 scores while being picked off 17 times in 14 contests.

Talk about being consistent in terms of production? Bortles threw at least two scoring passes in 11 games this past season and totaled at least 300 yards through the air in six appearances. There are the “Allen Brothers” in wideouts Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns combining for 144 receptions, 2,431 yards and two dozen touchdowns – 14 by Robinson. As last season wore on, tight end Julius Thomas became more acclimated to the offense and finished the year with 46 catches for 455 yards and five scores. And if running back Chris Ivory can offer a little balance, look out.

It all adds up to a lot of opportunities for Bortles, despite the fact that he could be running for his life (again) versus the likes of Packers outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers on Sunday.

Sep 1, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) watches play on the sidelines during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

3. QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Why isn’t one of the most prolific quarterbacks in recent memory number one of the list? Remember, this is a game-by-game previews, not a fantasy football draft.

Since becoming the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback in 2008, Aaron Rodgers has combined to thrown exactly four times as many touchdown passes (256) as interceptions (64). That’s an average of 32 scores to eight picks per season. In 2015, Rodgers was a “bit” below average with 31 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Chalk that up to no Jordy Nelson and a less-effective Eddie Lacy, an unsung part of the passing game.

If you think those numbers are serious, look at the figures since 2011. In 72 regular-season outings, Rodgers has served up 170 scores while being picked off only 33 times. In nearly half (32) of those games, he’s thrown for at least three touchdowns. And Rodgers remains unsung as a running threat, especially when it comes to in the red zone.

A year ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars finished 29th in the league in pass defense and surrendered 29 touchdown passes. The secondary has been bolstered by the free-agent additions of cornerback Prince Amukamara and free safety Tashaun Gipson, as well as 2016 first-round pick Jalen Ramsey. But look for Rodgers to take aim at former teammate Davon House on more than one occasion.

With Nelson, Lacy, fellow wide receives Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and tight ends Jared Cook and Richard Rodgers at the talented quarterback’s disposal, the Green Bay passing attack will roll up some serious numbers.

Aug 12, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) rushes with the football during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2. RB Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

The third time was far from charming for one of the better running backs in the league.

After rushing for 1,100-plus yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, Packers running back Eddie Lacy turned somewhat unreliable last season. While he led the club with 758 yards on the ground, he didn’t look like the same player who developed into a solid overall weapon for Mike McCarthy’s team.

In his first two years combined, the 2013 second-round pick and Pro Bowler in his debut campaign amassed 3,001 total yards from scrimmage, to go with 24 touchdowns. In 2014, Lacy surprised some by rolling up 42 catches for 427 yards and four scores. Last season, he saw those numbers greatly reduced in the form of 20 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

But it’s a recommitted Lacy that will take aim at a Jacksonville defense that was a so-so 15th in the league against the run last season. The team did add defensive end Malik Jackson in the offseason, as well as talented linebacker Myles Jack in the second round of the draft. But the Green Bay offensive line and Lacy will test Gus Bradley’s early and often.

While veteran James Starks was re-signed this year by the Packers and comes off a career year with the team, he’ll take a back seat often enough early in the season to ensure that Lacy will once again be the focal point of the ground game.

A more effective Lacy will once again make the Packers extremely dangerous on offense. In 2014, McCarthy’s team led the NFL with 486 points. That figure dipped to 368 points this past year but a better ground attack changes all that significantly.

Jul 29, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson (15) runs a pass route during training camp at Practice Fields at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

1. WR Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

After showing a little promise as a rookie, the former Penn State product exploded with a Pro Bowl performance in 2015 and was one of the most productive wideouts in the league last year.

Robinson lasted only 10 games in his debut campaign but he opened enough eyes with his play. After seeing only three passes his way in his first outing (1 reception for 0 yards), the 2014 second-round selection was targeted at least six times in every game the rest of the year. The numbers added up to 48 catches for 548 yards and two touchdowns.

A healthy Robinson made for a much different story this past season. He finished the year with 80 grabs, good for exactly 1,400 yards (sixth in the NFL) while tying for the league lead with 14 scoring receptions. The talented youngster totaled at least 100 receiving yards in six games and scored at least one touchdown in 10 of his 16 appearances. And perhaps even more significantly, Robinson was targeted at least 11 times seven times by year’s end.

A year ago, the Green Bay defense came up with 43 sacks and allowed only 20 touchdown passes, ranking sixth in the NFL in pass defense. The team totaled only 22 takeaways, although 16 of those were interceptions. This unit will be minus veteran cornerback Casey Heyward (now with the San Diego Chargers) but is still loaded at the position with Sam Shields and Damarious Randall, as well as Quinten Rollins. But Robinson made a lot of defenses look bad in 2015 and in this contest, Blake Bortles and company will need all the points they can get in this tilt.