Jayden Reed vs. Matthew Golden: Who Will Be The 2026 Fantasy Football Breakout?
John Supowitz analyzes the debate between Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden, delivering a verdict on who will be the better fantasy football 2026 pick.
It’s time to talk about the Packers’ offense.
Jayden Reed is coming off a disappointing third season, while first-round rookie Matthew Golden looked more like fool’s gold.
Which one has the potential for a rebound season?
Let’s break down these Lambeau Leapers.
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Jayden Reed vs. Matthew Golden: Who Should You Draft In Fantasy Football 2026?
The Case For Jayden Reed
The 2025 season was frustrating for Reed managers. He was dealing with a Jones fracture in his left foot and a broken clavicle that landed him on IR. Those injuries might have played a part in his underwhelming season, where he averaged just 9.7 fantasy points per game.
A healthy Reed has shown his value, and in 2024 he led the Green Bay wide receivers in fantasy points, averaging 11.5 fantasy points per game. He is one of the more explosive wide receivers, finishing second at the position in 2024 with 2.4 yards of separation, third with 11.4 yards per target and 14th with 2.35 yards per route run.
He was truly one of a kind from the moment he entered the league; he is the only player in NFL history to have 750+ receiving yards, 55+ catches, 6+ receiving touchdowns, 100+ rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in his first two seasons.
The Packers like to use Reed as a Swiss Army knife, lining him up in the slot, the backfield, and sending him in motion for a jet sweep, all of which create more opportunities for him to touch the ball.
As long as he is healthy, there is no reason he can't return to form in 2026.
The Case For Matthew Golden
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Golden coming into the 2025 season. The Packers selected him with the No. 23 overall pick, making him the first wide receiver they have taken in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.
It’s no surprise the Packers took him on Day 1 of the draft; in 2024 at Texas, he averaged 17.0 yards per reception and led the SEC with 9 receiving touchdowns. He also impressed at the combine by running a 4.29 40-yard dash.
However, Golden did not live up to the hype, finishing with 389 yards on 29 catches, and the No. 0 he wears on his jersey matches the number of times he found the end zone.
So what went wrong? Wrist and shoulder injuries likely contributed to Golden’s lack of production. That could also have impacted his playing time, as he had a snap share below 50% in seven games last season.
Even with several injuries on the Packers’ offense, including Tucker Kraft, Reed, and Christian Watson, Golden was never able to carve out a significant role and had 3 or fewer targets in nine games. Even in the games in which he had more than 3 targets, he averaged only 3.8 catches for 57.6 yards.
Golden spent the offseason posting his workouts on YouTube, showing himself working on his explosiveness, footwork and route running while dedicating time to boxing and swimming. It seemed he felt he needed to elevate his athleticism to become the top receiver he is expected to be.
There is some optimism for a second-year breakout. In June at Packers minicamp, Golden lined up alongside Christian Watson.
Should You Draft Jayden Reed or Matthew Golden In 2026 Fantasy Drafts?
What we need to consider is whether to rest in the comfort of knowing that Reed has a history of exceptional fantasy performances, or take the risk and believe Golden can have a breakout season? Reed’s ADP on Underdog is listed at 84.6, while Golden’s is at 110.6.
In life, you have to risk it to get the biscuit, and at this point in my draft we should already have our top wide receivers. I will wait a couple of rounds for Golden.
If what we saw at minicamp for Golden happens in the regular season, then his ceiling is a low-end WR1.
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