Sep 8, 2026, 10:24 PM ET

Green Bay Packers 27-year-old quarterback Jordan Love is poised for a stellar season in 2026. With star running back Josh Jacobs facing a potential suspension and currently on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List, the Packers will need to rely on Love to carry this offense, and he should see his passing volume climb. Back in 2023, Love finished as the QB5 in fantasy points per game (19.4), and star receiver Christian Watson is healthy coming into the season to go along with Tucker Kraft (knee), who appears to be on track to return in Week 1. Although Love has struggled the past two seasons from a fantasy standpoint (QB16 and QB18 finishes), it's mostly due to his lack of volume. In 2025, he ranked 19th in pass attempts and 28th in team pass plays per game. Even with that, he was highly efficient, ranking seventh in true passer rating, second in QBR, and seventh in explosive rating and EPA. Love is a must-add on the waiver wire heading into Week 1, as he is being treated like a QB2 but has a clear path to QB1 upside.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 8, 2026, 8:47 PM ET

Free-agent running back Phil Mafah tried out for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Mafah played in just one game as a rookie and was waived by the Cowboys in late August. While it's not yet clear if he will find his next NFL home in Green Bay, the Packers enter 2026 with significant questions in their backfield. Star Packers back Josh Jacobs is currently on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List due to an offseason arrest, and it's unclear when or if he will be cleared to play. As a result, the team's running back room currently consists of the unproven trio of MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson. The team is reportedly planning to take a committee approach to the backfield early in the year, and the fact that the Packers hosted Mafah on Tuesday could indicate that they do not have great confidence in any of their current options.--Will Brady
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Tommy Yarrish

Sep 8, 2026, 5:14 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd was listed as the team's RB1 on their unofficial depth chart going into Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. However, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Tuesday that the Packers' backfield will be a committee approach, with Josh Jacobs unavailable early on due to legal issues. With Jacobs out for the foreseeable future while on the commissioner's exempt list, expect Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Chris Brooks to all be involved at the position. Although Lloyd has played in just one NFL game since being drafted in the third round in 2024 from USC, he is the most enticing fantasy back for the Packers as long as Jacobs is away from the team. Between his speed and athleticism, Lloyd has the skills to become an RB2 for fantasy managers if he stands out over both Johnson and Brooks early on. Going into the team's Week 1 matchup against Minnesota, Lloyd should be viewed as an RB3/flex play in just his second NFL game this weekend.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Rob Demovsky

Sep 8, 2026, 4:05 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks has become a little more interesting with Josh Jacobs unavailable to open the season. The Packers are going with a committee for now, leaving Brooks in a three-man backfield with MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson. Lloyd has the obvious big-play appeal, but Brooks brings something Green Bay already trusts. He has carved out work on passing downs because of his hands and pass protection, which gives him a chance to stick in the rotation even if he isn't getting many early-down carries. Brooks had only 27 rushes for 106 yards last season, though he also caught 13 passes for 91 yards. There isn't enough here to put him into a Week 1 lineup yet. He is rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues and makes the most sense as a stash in 14-team PPR formats. If the committee gives Brooks more passing-game work than expected, there could be something useful here.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 8, 2026, 1:52 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers will be without running back Josh Jacobs (personal) to begin the season, as the three-time Pro Bowler was put on the Commissioner's Exempt List in late August, and on Tuesday, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich told reporters the team would use a committee approach to open the year. "It's gonna be running back by committee for a little bit to see where everyone is at." MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson are the three backs on the team's 53-man roster, and while Lloyd has arguably the highest ceiling of the bunch, he has struggled to stay healthy since the team spent a third-round pick on him in the 2024 NFL Draft. Speaking on his skill set, Stenavich told the assembled media, "[Lloyd] definitely has explosive ability, playmaking ability." The Packers open the season in a divisional matchup with the Vikings, and while a committee approach is the last thing fantasy managers were hoping to hear about days before the start of the season, Lloyd's talent should be on display early, keeping him in the Week 1 flex conversation.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Weston Hodkiewicz

Sep 7, 2026, 3:09 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson is worth keeping an eye on while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable. The Packers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick for Johnson on Aug. 30 after his quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where he managed only 69 yards on 28 carries. The opportunity in Green Bay is better. MarShawn Lloyd should get the first crack at leading the backfield, but Johnson has already worked alongside him with the first-team offense, while Chris Brooks is better suited for passing-down work. Johnson also has some familiarity with Matt LaFleur's system after playing in a similar offense during his final season at Iowa. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter, and RotoBaller currently has him at RB70 for the opener against Minnesota. The waiver outlook is more interesting than the immediate lineup value. RotoBaller recommends Johnson in leagues with 14 or more teams, which fits where things stand. He's a speculative stash with a path to more work if this backfield stays unsettled.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 6, 2026, 12:18 PM ET

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson should benefit from a new-look offensive game plan this season. With Josh Jacobs (personal) on the commissioner's exempt list and sidelined indefinitely, we expect the Packers to adopt a more pass-heavy approach on offense. Out of all the Packers' wide receivers, Christian Watson should benefit the most, given his existing role atop the depth chart. Last year, despite playing in an offense that ran through Jacobs, Watson managed to catch 35 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns across just 10 games. He averaged 13.2 full-PPR points per game, and he ranked as the overall WR12 from Weeks 8-17. Staying healthy and on the field will be the biggest factor for Watson, but assuming he clears that hurdle, he has top-15 upside at the wide receiver position. His price tag hasn't quite adjusted to the expectations of this offense sans Jacobs, as he still has an ADP of 64.2 (sixth round). This creates an opportunity for fantasy managers to draft him at a discount.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 6, 2026, 11:18 AM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks could open the regular season as the No. 2 option on the depth chart. The Packers' backfield is suddenly reeling after Josh Jacobs (personal) was arrested, charged with battery and criminal destruction of property, and placed on the commissioner's exempt list. There's no timetable for his return, and even though his court date was moved up to Sept. 10, that doesn't mean he'll get back on the field sooner. A suspension seems inevitable, and now the big question is whether he'll be suspended for games in 2026 or 2027. Regardless of how much time Jacobs misses, all signs point to Brooks stepping up as the Packers' No. 2 running back while MarShawn Lloyd fills the lead role. Brooks was quiet to the tune of 106 rushing yards and 91 receiving yards last year, but he showed in Week 17 (13 carries for 61 yards) that he's capable of stepping into a larger role. For now, he's more of a speculative stash in deeper leagues, but he could absolutely carve out standalone value as a low-end RB3/flex early in the season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 1:14 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has had his initial court appearance moved up from November 17 to September 10, according to online court records. Jacobs was charged in late August on two misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage stemming from his May 26 arrest, and he was placed on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List shortly thereafter. The eighth-year veteran is not permitted to practice or attend games while on the list, and while there is no timeline for the league to make a final determination on any further suspension, the accelerated legal process could help to bring about clarity sooner rather than later. After being drafted in the high-end RB2 range for much of the summer, Jacobs has fallen below RB25 in more recent drafts, with MarShawn Lloyd climbing rapidly.--Patrick McGrath
Source: WTAQ

Sep 4, 2026, 12:36 PM ET

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Tim Lester spent the 2023 season with the Green Bay Packers as an analyst and was named offensive coordinator at Iowa in 2024, where he inherited new Packers running back Kaleb Johnson and brought along head coach Matt LaFleur's offense, according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. "He should have unbelievable familiarity with the system, that's for sure, because that's exactly what we ran his senior year of college, which is good," Lester said. "And so I've been excited for him to get his shot and kind of get settled. The NFL normally takes a little bit of time to get adjusted, but definitely a talented kid." It should help Johnson, a third-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, get up to speed much faster after recently being acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh to help the Packers with RB depth now that Josh Jacobs will not be with the team to begin the 2026 season. Johnson had 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns at Iowa in 2024, with 4.4 yards on average coming after contact. The 23-year-old excels at breaking tackles, although he only had 28 carries for 69 yards (2.5 yards per carry) in 10 games with the Steelers as a rookie. Johnson's rookie season was forgettable, but he could quickly turn things around in Green Bay in an offense he is much more familiar with. MarShawn Lloyd is expected to get the first crack at RB1 duties with Jacobs out, but Johnson should not be ignored as a late-round handcuff with rising value because of Jacobs' status.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sports Illustrated - Bill Huber

Sep 4, 2026, 11:24 AM ET

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love hasn't been asked to throw nearly as much the past two seasons, but that could change with Josh Jacobs unavailable. Love averaged just 28.8 pass attempts per game across 2024 and 2025 after throwing 579 times in his first full season as the starter in 2023. He still put together an efficient year last season, completing a career-high 66.3% of his passes for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Jacobs remains on the Commissioner's Exempt List with no timetable to return, leaving MarShawn Lloyd as the likely lead back entering Week 1. Lloyd has just six NFL carries after spending most of his first two seasons battling injuries, while Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson provide the other backfield options. Green Bay doesn't suddenly have to abandon the run, but there is more reason to put the offense in Love's hands. He has also climbed to QB17 in RotoBaller's latest rankings. A bump in attempts would give Love a better chance to push back into the QB1 mix.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday and has no timetable for return. Jacobs was charged with battery and criminal damage to property stemming from the offseason. A video also provides evidence against Jacobs in this trial, and if it is released, it could lead the team to cut ties with him. While there is a possibility that he returns in 2026, fantasy managers should not spend more than a late-round pick on Jacobs. MarShawn Lloyd will have a chance to take the job early in the season, and the team has continued to praise the young back. A committee once Jacobs returns is very possible, so the reward may not be as big as some fantasy managers expect. Jacobs' range of outcomes is from being a contributor in the fantasy playoffs to not playing a snap in 2026 or beyond. Make sure that you know exactly what is going on with Jacobs' situation before spending draft capital on the veteran running back.--Nathan Harvey
Source: Ari Meirov - My Sports Update

Sep 4, 2026, 12:02 AM ET

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed is likely headed for a larger role on offense in 2026. Not only is Reed fully healthy after recovering from last year's injuries, but he also faces slightly less competition for targets after Romeo Doubs departed for New England in free agency. Injuries limited Reed to just 19 catches, 207 yards, and one touchdown last year, but he finished as the WR29 or higher in PPR leagues in both 2023 and 2024. Even if he doesn't return to his top-30 receiver form, he can still be a WR3/flex in fantasy leagues with 12+ teams. His biggest competition for targets is Matthew Golden, and the good news is that Reed has more experience in the NFL than Golden. Plus, Golden still needs to prove that he's worthy of a larger role after catching just 29 passes with zero touchdowns as a rookie last year, whereas Reed has more of an established track record. For now, it seems like Reed has the edge over Golden. He currently has an ADP of 117.3, which corresponds to the 10th round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 31st receiver off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 9:21 PM ET

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) appeared to be running without any issues ahead of Thursday's practice, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. Kraft continues to work his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in November of last year. He missed all of the preseason, but was able to take part during joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals last week. It seems that Kraft is trending in the right direction ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. He appears to be moving well and could very well be ready to go in time for the first game of the season.--Andy Webb
Source: Matt Schneidman