Question marks swirl around Packers receivers ahead of Week One

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WSAW) - Packers’ number one receiver Allen Lazard hasn’t practiced in the last week due to an injury to his foot. His ankle was stepped on last week and was out of practice again Wednesday.

“When you’re missing a guy like that, his caliber, it hurts,” said receiver Sammy Watkins. “We know that he’s with us..he’s engaged. Pray that it doesn’t hurt us this Sunday, you know, if he doesn’t play.”

With Lazard’s status unknown, the Packers are preparing for any scenario, especially one that could leave quarterback Aaron Rodgers without his number one receiver.

“There are about five guys that we expect to kind of be in the mix consistently, playing receiver for us,” said Rodgers. “If one of them goes down, the other four better be ready.”

For those receivers, they don’t look at it as if they’re being put in a certain pecking order.

“I don’t think any of us have a role,” said Watkins. “There’s no one, two three, four five…we out there together as a group.”

Even with that philosophy intact, Watkins could be pushed up the depth chart if Lazard is out. Additionally, young players like Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson could move up as well. That is, if Watson himself plays, as he’s still recovering from a knee procedure that’s kept him out most of camp.

“The expectation going into the first game is to make sure that they are prepared and they understand the plays that are going to be called,” said receiver Randall Cobb.

“We’re not going to put them in positions to not be successful but there’s going to be opportunities for them when they get out there to go make plays,” said Rodgers. “I’m confident that they’re going to make the plays that are available.”

The Packers and Vikings kick off the regular season Sunday at 3:25 p.m. in Minneapolis. The game can be watched on WZAW.