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Will Josh Jacobs play in Week 1, or play at all in 2026 for the Packers? Andy's latest Josh Jacobs fantasy football outlook and update for Week 1.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been at the center of much of the fantasy football discussion over the past several weeks.
Not only is the veteran running back battling a groin injury, but he is also dealing with a looming suspension.
Will Jacobs play in Week 1? Will he miss extended time this season? Let's dive in!
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Will Josh Jacobs Play In 2026?
While it appeared Jacobs would not face a major suspension, recent developments have opened the door to a lengthy absence. Earlier on Sunday, the running back was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which will prevent him from practicing or playing with the Packers for the foreseeable future.
While the league did not provide a clear timetable, this transaction will prevent him from playing for the time being.
Earlier in the week, Jacobs was officially charged with two misdemeanors stemming from his May arrest and is not scheduled to appear in court until November 17. As a result, there is a possibility the 28-year-old is kept on the Commissioner's Exempt List until his court date, which could potentially sideline him for the remainder of the season or at least the majority of the 2026 season.
Will Josh Jacobs Play In Week 1?
While a full-season suspension is not official, it appears all but certain Jacobs will not suit up in Week 1. Given that the running back was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List earlier on Sunday, Jacobs will face an uphill battle to be cleared to suit up in Week 1. Even though he has not been officially ruled out, fantasy managers rostering Jacobs should prepare to not have him in their starting lineup.
Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the latest updates, but this recent news suggests that the running back will be sidelined, which paves the way for MarShawn Lloyd to begin the season as Green Bay's primary running back when they begin their 2026 campaign against the Minnesota Vikings.
Josh Jacobs Placed on Commissioner's Exempt List https://t.co/EjL4F6MJ4K
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 30, 2026
Josh Jacobs Fantasy Football Outlook
Jacobs entered the draft season as a low-end RB1, as he was positioned to operate as Green Bay's bell cow for another season. In 2025, Jacobs appeared in 15 games for the Packers and rushed for 13 touchdowns while totaling 929 yards. In 2024, Jacobs was even more productive in his debut season with the franchise, scoring 15 touchdowns with 1,329 yards.
However, with a potentially lengthy suspension looming, managers should aim to avoid Jacobs in all drafts. While his ADP will likely plummet over the next few days, there is an outcome in which he misses the entire season, which makes him a high-risk pick no matter the cost.
As a result, Lloyd has seen his fantasy value soar. Lloyd has battled injuries throughout his young NFL career, but he has reported to training camp healthy and been projected as the clear RB2 behind Jacobs. He has appeared in just one NFL game (over two seasons) and totaled a mere 15 yards on six carries. However, with USC, Lloyd flashed high-end upside, posting an elite 7.1 YPC in his final season.
Additionally, the Packers acquired Kaleb Johnson from the Steelers, further suggesting they are expecting Jacobs to be unavailable for a period of time. Johnson spent most of his rookie season on special teams but should emerge as the "new" backup option to Lloyd.
Managers should view Lloyd as the primary target in this backup while Johnson has put himself on the radar in deeper 14+ team leagues. Jacobs is best avoided in all drafts for the time being, given the risk that he is kept on the sidelines for the entire season.
Even though Lloyd holds an ADP of 126.9 on Yahoo, managers should feel comfortable drafting him much earlier given his path to a three-down role. In Week 1, Lloyd could carry high-end RB2 upside.
It's MarShawn Lloyd time in Green Bay.
Here's our story on the NFL placing Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner Exempt List: https://t.co/2jSkYtjIVe
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 30, 2026
Who Should I Draft Tool
Not sure whether to draft Josh Jacobs? Use the Who Should I Draft tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to draft...
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Draft? button to see who the recommended draft picks are based on fantasy football rankings, projections and more.
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Popular Draft Searches. Curious to see some tough draft decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Draft? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts for Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Jordan Love, Kaleb Johnson, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Tucker Kraft compared to others:
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