Christian Watson injury update: Packers wide receiver listed as questionable for Week 17, but issue linked to illness | NFL News
Christian Watson’s name on the Green Bay Packers’ final injury report raised eyebrows, but the situation isn’t quite as alarming as it first looked. The wide receiver was listed as questionable ahead of Saturday night’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, yet his status isn’t tied to a new injury concern. Instead, Watson has simply been dealing with an illness that kept him out of Thursday’s practice.The Packers have had a bug working its way through the locker room this week, and Watson just happened to be the latest to feel it. Because his absence came midweek, he still had time to recover before kickoff. Illness can always be unpredictable, but it’s usually easier to manage than something like a soft-tissue setback this late in the season. Green Bay will get final clarity when the inactives are released at 6:30 p.m. ET, but internally there’s far less panic than a typical injury designation might create.
Christian Watson’s availability could impact Packers’ Week 17 game against Ravens
For Green Bay, Watson’s availability matters. He remains a reliable target when healthy and gives the offense a vertical threat they don’t easily replace. With Jordan Love already ruled out due to concussion protocol, the Packers will turn to backup quarterback Malik Willis, and surrounding him with as many playmakers as possible becomes essential against a tough Baltimore defense. Watson’s presence stretches coverage, creates spacing, and forces the Ravens to respect the deep ball, which naturally helps the run game and underneath routes.From a bigger-picture standpoint, the Packers aren’t playing with desperation. They’ve already locked in a playoff berth, which takes away some anxiety around availability decisions. Even so, these final regular-season games still matter. Green Bay can improve playoff seeding with a strong finish, and having Watson on the field gives them a better chance of doing that. It’s a balance between managing health and competing to strengthen postseason positioning.So while the headline of “questionable” might have initially sounded worrying, this is closer to routine late-season maintenance than crisis territory. If the illness clears in time, Watson should be able to suit up and contribute. If not, the decision will simply be about keeping him fresh for when the games truly count, but for now, this feels like a situation trending more toward manageable than problematic.Also Read: Is Christian Watson playing in week 16 vs the Bears? Latest Packers injury update and performance details
