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Green Bay Packers DST

Player Outlook
We are not suggesting drafting the Packers as a starting defense on draft day. While they profile as a borderline top-12 defense, they open the year against the Lions and Commanders, two of the worst projected matchups for an opposing DST. Last year this defense did rank fourth in DST scoring, thanks to 14 fumble recoveries and a ball control offense that limited other teams' yardage total. They had an uneventful offseason on the defensive side of the ball, we just don't expect them to reproduce their Fantasy production from last year, particularly in their two opening games. You can expect them to be one of the top streaming suggestions in Week 3 when they face the Cleveland Browns.

Fantasy News

  • Packers' Xavier McKinney: Returns to practice

    Rotowire
    McKinney (calf) participated in practice Wednesday, Bill Huber of SI.comreports. McKinney has been sidelined for nearly three weeks, though it was always anticipated that he would be healthy for Week 1. That appears to be the case, as he still has plenty of time to ramp up prior to Green Bay taking on Detroit.
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  • Packers' Collin Oliver: Set to miss at least four games

    Rotowire
    Oliver (hamstring) was placed on the reserve/PUP list by the Packers on Tuesday, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official website reports. Oliver will be forced to miss at least four games to open the 2025 season as he continues to nurse a hamstring injury. The 22-year-old was expected to operate as a depth option on defense in his rookie campaign, so his early absence doesn't carry a significant impact.
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  • Isaiah Simmons: Cut by Green Bay

    Rotowire
    Simmons was released by the Packers on Tuesday, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official website reports. Simmons signed with Green Bay in April, recording a team-high 19 total tackles (14 solo) over three preseason contests. Although he won't stick around with the Packers, the linebacker likely showed enough to earn another opportunity elsewhere.
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  • Packers' Keisean Nixon: Remains in key role

    Rotowire
    Nixon made a solo tackle in Saturday's 20-7 exhibition victory over the Seahawks. Nixon started every game from Week 4 onward in 2024, and he is set to open the upcoming campaign in the same spot. Nixon earned All-Pro honors as a return man in 2022 and 2023, but with him now occupying a key role on the defense, it remains to be seen if he will field punts, kickoffs or either during the season ahead.
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  • Packers' Edgerrin Cooper: Set to start at linebacker

    Rotowire
    Cooper started at linebacker in Saturday's 20-7 preseason victory over the Seahawks. Cooper started just four games during his 2024 rookie season, but the second-round pick was twice named NFC Defensive Player of the Week, and he is primed to play a key role from the jump in his sophomore campaign. Cooper racked up 87 tackles (57 solo) in 2024 despite seeing limited snaps early and sitting out three games altogether, so it's easy to envision him surpassing the 100-tackle mark in his second go-around.
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  • Packers' Rashan Gary: Ready for action

    Rotowire
    Gary made a solo tackle in Saturday's 20-7 preseason victory over the Seahawks. Gary -- along with nearly every other healthy starter on Green Bay's defense -- took the field for the start of Saturday's contest and departed it after Seattle's first drive. Gary remains the top pass rusher for the Packers and will attempt to reach double digits in the sack department for the first time in his career in 2025.
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  • Packers' Quay Walker: Two tackles in preseason win

    Rotowire
    Walker (ankle) recorded two solo tackles in Saturday's 20-7 preseason win over the Seahawks. Walker was able to return to action after nursing an ankle injury at practice for a couple weeks, making the most of his five snaps on defense against Seattle. The 25-year-old is set to operate in a starting role at outside linebacker with the Packers again in 2025.
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  • Isaiah Dunn: Settles with Green Bay

    Rotowire
    Dunn (undisclosed) was waived from injured reserve after reaching an injury settlement with the Packers on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Dunn sustained an undisclosed injury at training camp with the Packers, which resulted in him being placed on injured reserve Aug. 13. He will now be eligible to pass a physical and play elsewhere in 2025.
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  • Packers' Xavier McKinney: Dressed in pads Thursday

    Rotowire
    McKinney (calf) was dressed in pads Thursday, though he still didn't participate in team activities, Ryan Wood of USA Today reports. McKinney is making incremental progress in his return from a calf injury. He worked off to the side Monday and progressed to individual drills in pads Thursday. The team has held firm in its belief that McKinney will be ready for the regular-season opener against the Lions on Sept. 7, but he'll need to be cleared for team activities first.
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  • Packers' Keith Randolph: Heading to IR

    Rotowire
    Randolph (undisclosed) reverted to Green Bay's injured reserve list Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Randolph was not claimed by another team after the Packers waived him with an injury designation Monday, so now he's bound for their injured reserve list. Unless he can work out an injury settlement with the club, he'll have to stay there for the entire 2025 season.
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  • Packers' Kenny Clark: Returns to practice

    Rotowire
    Clark (back) returned to practice Tuesday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. Clark missed Monday's session but is evidently fine. The 29-year-old hasn't missed a start since the 2021 season and finished with 37 tackles (20 solo), including 1.0 sacks, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries across 17 regular-season appearances last year.
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  • Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Back at practice

    Rotowire
    Van Ness (back) returned to practice Tuesday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. Van Ness missed Monday's session, but his injury evidently isn't severe. Van Ness has appeared in all 34 regular-season games since being taken with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 Draft, but he's made zero starts and played less than 40 percent of the defensive snaps each campaign. The Packers are banking on Van Ness taking a step forward in his development opposite Rashan Gary.
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  • Keith Randolph: Waived/injured by Green Bay

    Rotowire
    Randolph (undisclosed) was waived with an injury designation by the Packers on Monday, Bill Huber of SI.com reports. The defensive tackle will now revert to Green Bay's injured-reserve list unless he's claimed by another team. At that point, he would need to reach an injury settlement with the Packers to have a chance to play in 2025. Randolph played his final collegiate season with Illinois in 2023 and has yet to appear in an NFL game.
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  • Packers' Jaylin Simpson: Signs with Green Bay

    Rotowire
    Simpson signed with the Packers on Monday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. The safety had a tryout with Green Bay on Wednesday. Simpson, who was previously dealing with a hamstring injury, was waived from injured reserve with a settlement by the Jets in early August before trying out for the Texans less than a week later. A 2024 fifth-round pick of the Colts, Simpson did not see action last season, though he may now get a chance to compete for a depth and special-teams role with the Packers.
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  • Packers' Kenny Clark: DNP due to back injury

    Rotowire
    Clark (back) didn't practice Monday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. This is the first time Clark's practice participation has been impacted by an injury in 2025. Assuming Clark regains health in time for the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Lions, he's set to reprise a starting role on the interior of Green Bay's defensive line after starting all 17 regular-season games for the Packers in 2024.
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  • Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Sidelined by back injury

    Rotowire
    Van Ness (back) didn't practice Monday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. This is the first mention of an injury for Van Ness in 2025. If he's unable to participate in Green Bay's Aug. 23 preseason finale against the Seahawks, Van Ness's next opportunity for game action wouldn't come until Week 1 against the Lions on Sept. 7. The 2023 first-round draft pick is expected to take on a larger role in his third NFL campaign after posting 7.0 sacks through two regular seasons while appearing in all 34 games but making zero starts.
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  • Packers' Xavier McKinney: Working off to side Monday

    Rotowire
    McKinney (calf) is working off to the side at Monday's practice, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. McKinney was spotted running under the supervision of the training staff Monday, as it's the first time he's been participating in any sort of on-field work since initially suffering the calf injury early in camp. According to Schneidman, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said last week that the team expects McKinney to be ready for Week 1 against the Lions on Sept. 7.
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  • Packers' Omar Brown: Nursing lung injury

    Rotowire
    Brown (chest) will stay at a local hospital in Indianapolis overnight Sunday while being monitored for a lung injury that he suffered during the Packers' 23-19 preseason win over the Colts on Saturday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. Brown had to be carted off the field while wearing an oxygen mask after suffering a chest injury in the third quarter of Saturday's game. Further tests showed a lung injury, and he'll remain in the hospital to be monitored for a second-straight night, though there's optimism that he'll rejoin the team in Green Bay on Monday. An exact timeline for Brown's return is uncertain, but he's facing an uphill battle to be available for the Packers' regular-season opener against the Lions on Sunday, Sept. 7. An extended absence for Brown would open the door for Kitan Oladapo to make the Packers' 53-man roster at the end of training camp.
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  • Packers' Arron Mosby: Past groin injury

    Rotowire
    Mosby (groin) played in Saturday's preseason game against the Colts. Mosby missed some practice time earlier in the month but is past the issue. He played 51 defensive snaps against Indy and logged three tackles (one solo).
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  • Packers' Kamal Hadden: Over hip injury

    Rotowire
    Hadden (hip) played in Saturday's preseason game against the Colts. Hadden logged 40 defensive snaps and finished with seven tackles (four solo), so he appears to be well past the hip issue that hampered him earlier in the month.
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