Packers receiver Allen Lazard to practice Wednesday

Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard will practice Wednesday, coach Matt LaFleur confirmed via Packers reporter Wes Hodkiewicz. Lazard missed the season opener Sunday against Minnesota with an ankle injury, but appears to be trending toward playing in Week 2.

The receiver suffered the ankle injury after being stepped on during practice a little more than a week before the start of the season, and did not practice at all last week as a result.

Should he return, it would be a welcome sight for a Packers receiving corps attempting to replace the production of five-time Pro Bowl receiver Davante Adams. Without Lazard, Green Bay struggled in Week 1 as no player totaled more than 46 yards receiving in a 23-7 loss.

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Lazard has been a regular in the Packers receiving rotation over the past three seasons, totaling at least 450 yards receiving in each year. Last year he had his best season yet, finishing with 40 catches for 513 yards and eight touchdowns.

He is expected to see those number take an even bigger jump this season as he has a chance to take over as the No. 1 receiver for Aaron Rodgers. Across six games where Adams did not play from 2018-20, Lazard recorded 19 catches for 302 yards and two touchdowns. His best performance of those games came against New Orleans in Week 3 of the 2020 season, where he finished with six catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Green Bay signed Sammy Watkins this offseason and also drafted three receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, it was running back AJ Dillon that led the team with five catches for 46 yards on Sunday. Rookie Romeo Doubs had four catches for 37 yards, while tight end Robert Tonyan — coming off an ACL injury — had three catches for 36 yards.

The Packers are set to kick off Week 2 against division rival Chicago at 8:20 p.m. ET in the Sunday Night Football game.