We’re officially six days away from Green Bay Packers football.
As we eagerly await kickoff, here’s six players to keep an eye on when the season kicks off at Lambeau Field.
RB MarShawn Lloyd
It’s been a rough two years for MarShawn Lloyd.
Since being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2024 Draft and being called the best running back in the class by analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Lloyd has struggled to stay on the field.
The former USC Trojan heads into 2026 with just ten career regular season snaps, but after a healthy ramp-up, things are set to change in a big way.
With the incumbent Josh Jacobs’ status uncertain pending his legal situation, Lloyd will be asked to step into the starting role.
Time will tell if Lloyd will be able to handle the wear and tear, but with only the newly minted Kaleb Johnson and pass-blocking savant Chris Brooks joining him on the initial fifty-three man roster, there is a well of opportunity to cement himself as a major part of the Packers’ future.
That audition begins on Sunday.
WR Matthew Golden
The Packers made a big statement when they selected wide receiver Matthew Golden in the 2025 Draft.
The Texas product was Green Bay’s first first-round selection at the position since Javon Walker in 2002, despite the fact that many people clamored for better receiving options for years.
As a result, some expected Golden would have a bigger impact in his rookie season, but his opportunities were limited behind the likes of Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed.
Now that Doubs has joined the New England Patriots, Golden will become a full-time starter on the outside.
He started to flash his potential at the end of last year, and his growing connection with quarterback Jordan Love will be essential in 2026.
Of all the players on the Green Bay Packers’ roster, Golden is primed for the biggest breakout.
TE Tucker Kraft
The torn ACL that Tucker Kraft suffered in week eight against the Carolina Panthers was among a slew of setbacks that spelled the beginning of the end for the 2025 campaign.
Prior to the injury, Kraft was on pace for both the best season of his career and one of the league’s best season’s at the position.
In just eight games, Kraft recorded four-hundred and eighty-nine yards and six touchdowns on just thirty-two receptions, consistently showing off his game-breaking ability as a pass-catcher.
Following an offseason of recovery, the former third round pick appears to be all systems go for the opener, even amidst contract talks.
According to Kraft, you can’t replicate the Packers’ locker room anywhere else in the NFL, and he should be a huge part of their success in 2026.
EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Lukas Van Ness has yet to consistently impress since being drafted thirteenth overall by the Packers in 2023, but there’s no better time than now.
With Green Bay choosing to open the season with just four edge rushers on the fifty-three man roster, a lot of weight will be falling on Van Ness’ shoulders.
Micah Parsons will spend at least the first four weeks of the season on the PUP, and until then, the Packers will need to get creative in regard to generating pressure.
The former Iowa Hawkeye will be the make or break piece in that endeavor, and if h
e can continue to make the same strides he did in 2025, he may be able to secure his spot as running-mate for years to come.
If not, rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton could become the favorite moving foward.
CB Brandon Cisse
Rookie corner Brandon Cisse has been nothing short of a dream come true for the Green Bay Packers since he was selected in the second round in April.
Despite the Packers’ tendency to take their time with rookies, Cisse has defied the odds to seemingly elevate himself to CB1.
Unfortunately for him, week one will a be trial by fire.
The Minnesota Vikings have one of the league’s best pass-catching trios in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings, and their game plan will no doubt put Cisse to the test.
Considering how awful the cornerback room performed last year, any sort of positive infusion will make a massive impact, but if Cisse can continue to look as promising as he has been, he could join the defensive rookie of the year conversation.
K Trey Smack
Special teams blunders have been the Green Bay Packers’ Achilles heel for several seasons now, but this year, the team traded up in the sixth round of the draft to change that.
After an up and down camp, Smack was perfect in three preseason games on field goals and extra points.
The former Gator showed off an impressive leg, hitting from fifty plus multiple times, and he seems to have the demeanor necessary to handle the pressure of kicking in the NFL.
If Smack can stay consistent, the Packers should find themselves on the winning side of a few more games this year, as Brandon McManus cost them several in 2025.
