The Green Bay Packers need surplus value from their roster this season, and that means finding production from players who carry low expectations.

General manager Brian Gutekunst has built a competitive roster, but the depth pieces who outperform their projections can separate a good team from a great one.

Here are five contributor candidates who could make an unexpected impact for Green Bay in 2026.

RB Damien Martinez

Martinez was a seventh-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks last year and didn’t make their initial 53-man roster. The Packers signed him to the practice squad, and he spent time with the team throughout the season. Some evaluators viewed him as a fifth- or sixth-round prospect during the draft process, so there’s reason to believe he was undervalued.

Green Bay doesn’t have a clear backup option behind running back Josh Jacobs. MarShawn Lloyd is one candidate for that role, and Chris Brooks profiles as a pass-blocking, third-down type of back. Martinez, though, has the potential to develop into a talented runner and a viable No. 2 option for minimal cost.

---

WR Isaiah Neyor

Neyor went undrafted last year, initially signed with the San Francisco 49ers, and then landed on the Packers’ practice squad. Green Bay elevated him for the wild card game against the Chicago Bears, where he played some snaps but didn’t record a reception. Neyor stands 6-4, has length and athleticism, and possesses the speed to threaten defenses deep. He fits head coach Matt LaFleur’s system well. With an open sixth spot at wide receiver, Neyor has a path to the roster or at least the practice squad with eventual promotions throughout the season. He profiles as a developmental depth piece who could contribute sooner than expected.

---

TE Josh Whyle

Whyle came in last season and earned a promotion to the active roster after Tucker Kraft got hurt. His role grew progressively as the year went on, and the expectation now is that he could be the team’s No. 2 tight end in 2026. The Packers didn’t re-sign John FitzPatrick, and Luke Musgrave is primarily a pass catcher. Whyle offers something different. He can block, play the H-back role in LaFleur’s offense, and provides more physicality at the point of attack than Musgrave does.

If Kraft doesn’t start the season fully healthy or has his snaps managed early on, Whyle can step into a meaningful role. He re-signed with Green Bay on something close to a veteran minimum deal, so the cost-to-production ratio could be excellent at $2 million.

---

EDGE Collin Oliver

Oliver was a fifth-round pick last year and entered the NFL as a linebacker/edge defender hybrid. The Packers placed him in the edge room to begin his career, but a hamstring injury wiped out nearly his entire rookie season. He did play against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, and now he’s set to go through a full training camp for the first time.

Green Bay invested mid-round capital at edge defender with other pieces, so Oliver doesn’t carry huge expectations. That said, his potential as a rotational pass rusher is worth monitoring. With Micah Parsons still recovering from an ACL injury and likely unavailable early in the season, Oliver could carve out snaps in the edge rotation during the first few weeks.

---

WR/returner Skyy Moore

Moore is a former second-round pick who started his career with the Kansas City Chiefs before moving to the 49ers last season. San Francisco is where he found a legitimate NFL role as a return specialist, and that’s why Green Bay signed him to a $2.5 million contract this offseason.

Moore can return both kickoffs and punts, which is a significant addition. The Packers have struggled at the returner position, especially since Keisean Nixon progressively moved away from that role over the past two years. Beyond special teams, Moore offers value as an offensive role piece. He’s a horizontal threat with the speed to execute end-arounds and similar concepts LaFleur has utilized in the past. He won’t be what Kansas City envisioned when they drafted him in the second round, but he doesn’t need to be. If Moore stabilizes the return game and provides occasional offensive production, that’s a win for Green Bay at a low price point.