Green Bay Packers' Josh Jacobs talks to Marshawn Lloyd before a preseason NFL football game. AP Photo/Abbie Parr See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google Josh Jacobs’ fantasy value lingers in the grey area.
The Green Bay Packers running back was placed on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List following his recent misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged battery incident in May.
Jacobs has not been suspended, and the NFL has not announced how long he will be away from the team. He could theoretically miss anywhere from zero to 17 games, but a six-game absence would be a reasonable expectation based upon recent NFL precedent.
ESPN Fantasy estimates his return for Oct. 30.
The 28-year-old veteran was projected as a safe RB2 and perhaps back-end RB1, reflecting an Average Draft Position of late third to early fourth round per FantasyPros.
Jacobs finished as RB12 last season, averaging 15.5 touches and four yards per carry. He kept his strong momentum from 2024 going throughout the first nine games, collecting 11 touchdowns and averaging 19.6 fantasy points. After missing time in Weeks 11 and 12 to a bone bruise, Jacobs was never the same in his return as his touches dropped by 6.5 and he totaled three scores in five games.
Green Bay’s top beneficiary in the backfield is MarShawn Lloyd, who is soaring in ADP to a high-end RB3 to a low-end RB2. The 2024 third-round pick has only one game of NFL experience, but brings size and pass-catching ability to churn out RB2 production if Jacobs should miss more than a month.
Matt LaFleur deployed Lloyd with both first- and second-team units through two preseason games, which amounted to 17 yards on six carries and a receiving touchdown.
Lloyd’s path to a true bell-cow workload isn’t a guarantee, with Kaleb Johnson capable of siphoning early-down work and Chris Brooks potentially handling passing-down duties.
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The Packers acquired Johnson from Pittsburgh on Sunday in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. Johnson is an insurance add, but he struggled out of the gate as a rookie, recording just 69 yards on 28 carries while playing 50 offensive snaps across 10 games.
His most memorable moment came on a botched kickoff return in Week 2 that resulted in relinquishing a touchdown, prompting his removal from special teams duties.
Jordan Love’s fantasy output could benefit from Jacobs’ absence. AP Photo/David Dermer Since Jacobs joined the Packers two seasons ago, the team has operated with a conservative offense, ranking near the bottom overall in both neutral pass rate and pace.
Without Jacobs, Jordan Love could look to up the tempo with his receiving corps, leading to more targets for Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft.
If and when Jacobs returns, he is expected to reclaim his role as the feature running back barring a breakout from his understudies.
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
