Green Bay Packers: Where has Marquez Valdes-Scantling Gone?

After playing a prominent role for the Green Bay Packers early on, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has seen his playing time fall off a cliff over the last month.

It was an up and down rookie season for Marquez Valdes-Scantling but to some extent that is to be expected from a first year player, let alone a fifth round draft pick. But with that blazing speed that he possess we saw the potential that he had to give the Green Bay Packers a downfield threat, which is something that they haven’t consistently had since the days of Jordy Nelson in his prime.

Now this season, with Randall Cobb gone and with an unfortunate injury to Equanimeous St. Brown, Valdes-Scantling’s role was going to increase. With Davante Adams on one side, Geronimo Allison in the slot, and Valdes-Scantling on the other, he was going to be an integral part of the offense and perhaps even solidify himself as the Green Bay Packers’ No. 2 wide receiver. However, that has been far from the case.

While on the surface Valdes-Scantling’s total offensive snap percentage for the season of 58.9 percent doesn’t seem too alarmingly low, over the last month he has really seen his playing time decrease. Through the first nine games he would average nearly 49 snaps on offense per game which includes three games over 60 and another at 57.

Yet over the Green Bay Packers’ last four games, his snap counts have plummeted. And I mean plummeted. Since the Carolina game prior to the bye week, Valdes-Scantling has averaged under 17 snaps per game, including just 10 last Sunday against Washington.

As you can imagine the lack of playing time has taken its toll on his production. It was around week 8 against Kansas City when Valdes-Scantling’s snaps started to diminish. Ironically, that was after the biggest game of his career against Oakland where he’d total 133 receiving yards and a touchdown. From weeks 1-7, Valdes-Scantling would catch 21 passes for 416 yards at an incredible 19.8 yards per catch with two touchdowns.

But over Green Bay’s previous six games, he’s been targeted just 10 times – with none against Washington – and has two receptions for 11 yards. During this span we’ve seen the emergence of Allen Lazard who has effectively become the Green Bay Packers’ No. 2 wide receiver this season, while Allison still regularly occupies to slot, and with Valdes-Scantling’s struggles, Jake Kumerow has seen his playing time increase as well.

And perhaps most concerning for Valdes-Scantling during this stretch is that his specialty is as the deep threat, however, against the New York Giants, that role was taken over by Lazard with completions of 43 and 37 yards.

As always, there are likely a number of factors contributing to these issues in recent weeks. One of which could be a lingering knee and ankle injury that Valdes-Scantling suffered against Detroit. But if that is the case and it really is effecting his productivity this much, he and the Packers would be better off if he sat out a game or two in order to fully heal, instead of trying to play through it.

Coach Matt LaFleur has also stated that he and the coaching staff have to take a look at how they’re using him and if they are putting him in the best positions to succeed with his unique skill set. Not to mention that as of late we have see the Packers use more three tight end formations.

Regardless of what the reasons might be, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has to regain the trust of Aaron Rodgers and his coaches if he is going to see more playing time over these final weeks. However, that gets increasingly difficult to do when on such a limited snap count.

All stats via Pro Football Reference and Pro Football Focus