RADIO
Josh Jacobs Sits Out Friday's Preseason Action
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) did not play in Friday's second preseason game against the Denver Broncos, according to Mike Spofford of the team's official website. Jacobs was back at training camp practice on Tuesday after missing some time this summer with a groin injury, so the Packers' decision to hold their RB1 out on Friday in Denver was likely out of an abundance of caution. Barring a setback in practice, Jacobs should be ready to roll for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September as the team's primary back. The 28-year-old missed two regular-season games last year due to injuries and finished with 929 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 234 carries while adding 36 receptions for 282 yards and a score through the air. Jacobs has had a nose for the end zone in his career, but especially in his first two seasons with Green Bay, scoring 28 times on the ground in 32 starts. He is a workhorse with a grinding style, which makes him a bit more susceptible to injuries. Treat him as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in upcoming fantasy drafts as the Packers' starting RB.
Source: Packers.com - Mike Spofford
Source: Packers.com - Mike Spofford
Will Sheppard Leads Green Bay in Receiving on Friday Night
Most of the Green Bay Packers' starting offense played only one series in Friday's preseason win over the Broncos, a 12-play, 63-yard touchdown drive to open the night, and so it was 24-year-old wide receiver Will Sheppard who led the team with six catches for 47 yards, adding a touchdown grab of his own in the second quarter. An undrafted free agent out of Colorado in 2025, Sheppard spent the majority of his first season on the Packers' practice squad before signing a reserve/future contract in January, but following the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, he is competing for a depth role in 2026. Behind a locked-in trio of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed, the Packers still have a capable group of pass-catchers in Savion Williams, Bo Melton, and Skyy Moore, so even if Sheppard earns a spot on the initial 53-man roster, any contributions in 2026 project to be minimal. Still, Sheppard's showing on Friday night could help him land with a wide receiver-needy team if he's unable to stick in Green Bay. Either way, he is not a player who needs to factor into fantasy draft plans.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jordan Love Looks Sharp in Preseason Tune-Up
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love handled the first drive of the Packers' 33-13 victory over the Denver Broncos in the second preseason game for both clubs. Love was a solid 5-of-7 passing for 56 yards, engineering a 12-play drive that ended with a touchdown strike over the middle to running back MarShawn Lloyd for 11 yards. Love also completed two passes to Christian Watson, a 19-yard completion to Matthew Golden on a fourth down in Broncos' territory, a short seven-yard completion to Drake Dabney, and the score to Lloyd for Love's final throw of the night. Overall, Love had a sharp drive and looks ready for the 2026 NFL season. With the Packers condensing their pass-catching corps this offseason by letting Romeo Doubs test free agency and trading Dontayvion Wicks to Philadelphia, the hope is that this clearout brings more work for players like Watson, Golden, Tucker Kraft, and Jayden Reed. Love is a high-end QB2 for fantasy this season, as the Packers will no doubt be efficient, but are at the mercy of head coach Matt LaFleur's playcalling when it comes to pass volume.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
MarShawn Lloyd Scores TD, Tallies 28 Yards in Preseason Win
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd played nine snaps for the Packers in the team's first three drives of their 33-13 win over the Denver Broncos in both teams' second preseason tilt. Lloyd capped off the team's first drive with a receiving touchdown on an angle route over the middle with plenty of daylight to trot in for the 11-yard score. After the third drive, Chris Brooks was the primary running back for the Packers and Lloyd's day was done. Lloyd's night ended with six carries for 17 yards to go with his 11-yard touchdown score on his only target. With Josh Jacobs (groin) returning to practice this week but not playing in this preseason game, the pecking order seems firmly established with Lloyd being Jacobs' primary backup. Lloyd seems like a near-lock to be the primary backup and contingency plan if Jacobs cannot play. Consider Lloyd a solid handcuff at the end of fantasy drafts and a worthwhile stash in case he works into more carries this season for Green Bay.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chris Brooks Still in the Mix for Packers' RB2 Role
Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks is back where he needs to be after losing the first week and a half of camp to a hamstring strain. Green Bay's Aug. 10 unofficial depth chart had Brooks directly behind Josh Jacobs, with MarShawn Lloyd next, but there is still a competition here. Brooks didn't play in the preseason opener, while Lloyd got his chance after Jacobs went down with a groin injury. Brooks has since returned to team work, and the Packers trust the 6-foot-1, 219-pound back in pass protection and the passing game. His 2025 numbers weren't much, just 27 carries for 106 yards and 13 catches for 91 yards. He did get 13 carries in Week 18 and turned them into 61 yards. Jacobs is back at practice and remains the clear lead back, so this is strictly about the spot behind him. Brooks has a real chance to win it. Until somebody separates, though, he's more insurance-back watch than a late-round redraft target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tucker Kraft Standing Out at Training Camp
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) had a big practice in training camp on Sunday in his return to 11-on-11 work for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last year, and he was impressive again in Tuesday's session, according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. Huber writes that Kraft showed that "he's going to be a force to be reckoned with this season." "He's worked his tail off. You know, congratulations to him," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. Kraft caught four passes on Sunday and another five on Tuesday as he works his way back into the fold in Green Bay's offense as a high-end target for quarterback Jordan Love. The 25-year-old said on Sunday that the Packers could put him on a snap count early in the season as he works back from his ACL tear. The former third-rounder from South Dakota State was one of the best TEs in the league in 2025 before he got hurt, catching 32 of 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games. Regardless of potential snap-count concerns early on, Kraft is going to be drafted as a top-five player at his position.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Bill Huber
Source: Sports Illustrated - Bill Huber
Jordan Love Will Play on Friday Against Denver
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will play in Week 2 of the preseason against the Denver Broncos, head coach Matt LaFleur told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Love also played the opening drive of the Packers' first preseason game, so this will be the second week in a row he sees the field. LaFleur noted that several offensive starters will play, so it will be good for Love to get some reps with members of the first-team offense. The 27-year-old is looking to improve upon a modest 2025 campaign in which he threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He was the QB15 last year, but he's just a few years removed from his QB5 finish in 2023, so managers would like him to return to that level of play. The good news is that Love should have a stronger supporting cast this year. Matthew Golden is trending toward making a Year 2 leap, Christian Watson is on the precipice of a career year, and Tucker Kraft (knee) will hopefully be healthy for the full season.
Source: Matt Schneidman
Source: Matt Schneidman
Josh Jacobs Will Practice on Tuesday
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) will be back at practice on Tuesday, head coach Matt LaFleur told Aaron Nagler of CheeseheadTV. The veteran ball-carrier missed a few days of practice but is now getting back on the field. The Packers wouldn't have him practice if he wasn't close to 100%, so fantasy managers should feel confident that he's healthy and this injury won't impact his availability for Week 1. There is still an off-the-field hurdle to clear, though, as Adam Schefter of ESPN previously reported that Jacobs could face discipline for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. With that being said, until punishment is issued, Jacobs remains on track to play Sept. 13 against the Vikings. He's coming off a 14-touchdown season and ranks as the overall RB17 for the 2026 fantasy football season.
Source: Aaron Nagler
Source: Aaron Nagler
Luke Musgrave Likely to Begin the Season on PUP List
Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (neck) is currently on the physically unable to perform list due to a neck injury sustained during the team's mandatory minicamp in June, and there's a growing belief he could carry the designation into the regular season. In a recent 53-man roster projection, CHTV co-founder Aaron Nagler and Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company have Musgrave starting the regular season on the PUP list, making him ineligible to play in the team's first four games. Multiple tight end sets project to be a major part of the Packers offense in 2026, but with Musgrave potentially unavailable to begin the year and Tucker Kraft (knee) facing a potential snap count as he works back from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 campaign, that plan could be put on pause. With the team potentially leaning on three-receiver sets early in the season, the trio of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed all become attractive targets at their current draft costs.
Source: Cheesehead TV
Source: Cheesehead TV
Pieces in Place for a Career Year from Christian Watson
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has never topped 41 catches or 620 receiving yards in a season, but he's also never played a full slate of games nor been the team's unquestioned primary receiver. With the team moving on from Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason, reports out of training camp indicate that Watson has a strong chance to be a lynchpin of the Packers' offense, and if he can manage to stay healthy throughout 2026, he could be due for a legitimate breakout. Now more than 19 months removed from the ACL injury that ended his 2024 season, Watson returned for the final 11 weeks of 2025, playing as the fantasy WR9 over that span and catching six touchdown passes over his final seven games. With tight end Tucker Kraft expected back for the start of the year after suffering his own ACL tear in 2025, the Packers are expected to lean heavily on multi-tight-end packages, a personnel grouping from which Watson has historically thrived. Watson has not finished as a top 40 fantasy receiver since his rookie season, but at RotoBaller's WR28, a sizable step forward is expected, and he is capable of flirting with WR1 upside in any given week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Packers Could Limit Tucker Kraft's Snap Count Throughout First Half
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) could have his snap count limited throughout the first half of the regular season, he told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Kraft noted that he's pushing to recover quickly so that he doesn't have any limitations in Week 1, but he acknowledged that the team could manage his workload for the first couple of months of the season. "They're going to take into account my rep range probably until halfway through the season, and then they're going to just pat me on the ass and send me out there and send me to the wolves," Kraft said. The 25-year-old is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in Week 9 of the 2025 season. Prior to the injury, he had ranked as the overall TE1 in PPR leagues. While it's far from assured that Kraft will return to his overall TE1 form post-injury, we're still encouraged by the upside he offers, especially as the most dependable pass catcher in Green Bay's offense. As it stands, he has jumped to the TE5 spot in RotoBaller's latest redraft fantasy football rankings for 2026.
Source: Rob Demovsky
Source: Rob Demovsky
Tucker Kraft Hopes to Avoid Snap Count in Week 1
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) said he hopes that he won't be on a snap count for Week 1 of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. Kraft is working his way back from an ACL tear, and he has four weeks to progress through the final stages of his recovery so that he can avoid having any limitations in the season opener. It was previously reported that he was on track to be ready for Week 1, but this latest update suggests that he could be able to handle a full workload. Kraft was the overall TE1 in PPR leagues before tearing his ACL in Week 9 last season, so fantasy managers will hope that he can return to that level of productivity in 2026. Even if the injury does hinder him slightly, we're still optimistic that he can be a top-eight fantasy tight end in redraft leagues. As it stands, he ranks as the overall TE5 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings.
Source: Rob Demovsky
Source: Rob Demovsky
Packers Want to Get MarShawn Lloyd More Touches
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd saw only five total opportunities in the team's preseason opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but head coach Matt LaFleur wants to get him more involved in the team's next outing against the Broncos. After struggling to stay healthy through his first two years in the league, the 2024 third-round pick has had a strong training camp, spending extended time working with the first-team offense as Josh Jacobs (groin) deals with a groin injury of his own. Speaking on Lloyd's effort against the Steelers, LaFleur told reporters, "MarShawn is a guy, he's going to go 1,000 mph. Sometimes as a back, you do have to have a little patience to let things develop, but I was pleased with his effort." With more playing time will come more opportunities to develop that patience, and the indication is that the team wants to put more on Lloyd's plate in the lead-up to the regular season.
Source: Ryan Wood
Source: Ryan Wood
Tucker Kraft Cleared to Participate in Team Work on Sunday
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) will do 11-on-11 team work for the first time in training camp on Sunday, head coach Matt LaFleur told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. After tearing his ACL in Week 9 of last year, Kraft opened camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but he has been progressing nicely and will take a huge step on Sunday in working with the rest of the team at practice. Barring a setback with his surgically-repaired knee, the 25-year-old should be ready to roll for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. The former third-rounder from South Dakota State in 2023 was one of the best tight ends in the league in eight games in 2025 before his season-ending injury, catching 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns, and he's not going to come at a discount in fantasy drafts in 2026. RotoBaller currently has Kraft ranked as the No. 5 TE, and his draft stock is only going to rise now that he's been cleared to practice with the rest of the squad.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Christian Watson Being Drafted as a WR3 Despite Intriguing Upside
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is heading into the 2026 season with a clean bill of health and a new four-year contract worth up to $110.5 million. The 27-year-old has had a roller-coaster career up to this point of his career due to multiple hamstring injuries and a significant ACL injury. However, when healthy, Watson is a strong fantasy producer and has had stretches of dominance in fantasy football. In his final eight games, Watson scored over 18 PPR points four times, averaged 14 points per game, and finished as the WR13. Watson is heading into 2026 with an opportunity to establish himself as the No.1 receiver in Green Bay. The team traded Dontayvion Wicks and let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency. Watson could see a higher snap percentage and more targets with a condensed receiver room. Additionally, with Josh Jacobs facing a possible suspension, the team may opt to be more pass-heavy this season. Watson is currently a value in redraft leagues and carries WR1 upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
