Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb left Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee injury following a low hit by safety Matt Elam just prior to the end of the first half.
Cobb was carted off to the locker room after leaving the field, and returned to his teammates on the sideline with crutches during the second half.
On Monday, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy told the media that the sophomore receiver would miss “multiple weeks.” Fantasy owners of Cobb will need to find someone to replace his consistently strong production as a low-end WR1, high-end WR2 who dominates in leagues that use point-per-reception scoring.
One receiver on the Packers worth picking up is Jarrett Boykin, who got six targets from Aaron Rodgers in the team’s win over the Ravens. He’s a player who fantasy owners could start in deep leagues as a flex option, but he’s a low-end WR3 until we see more from him.
Another option to replace Cobb is Rueben Randle of the New York Giants, The former LSU star has nine catches for 171 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets over the last two weeks. He’s averaging just over seven targets per game from quarterback Eli Manning and has the speed to be a downfield threat in the passing game with teammate Victor Cruz. New York has been trailing in games regularly, which has forced Manning to throw early and often. Picking up one of his most productive receivers would be a smart move, and he’s still not owned in about half of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
Kris Durham of the Detroit Lions is a good short-term replacement for Cobb. He already has good chemistry with Lions quarterback and former Georgia teammate Matthew Stafford, and with Calvin Johnson battling an injury and Nate Burleson recovering from surgery, Durham should play a key role in the team’s offense in the next couple of games. He was targeted 13 times on Sunday with eight receptions for 83 yards, all of which were career highs.
One more player to target in the search for a Cobb replacement is New Orleans Saints receiver Kenny Stills. Any pass-catcher in Drew Brees‘ offense is a valuable fantasy option, and Stills is coming off his best game of the season on Sunday. He caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown versus a good Patriots defense. The concern about Stills is his inconsistency because he doesn’t have back-to-back weeks of multiple receptions, but he’s still a good pickup in deep leagues for fantasy owners lacking depth at wide receiver.
