Josh Jacobs Placed on Commissioner's Exempt List: What To Do In Fantasy Football with Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd & Kaleb Johnson
Adam Pfeifer breaks down the fantasy football ramifications of Josh Jacobs hitting the commissioner's exempt list and what it means for MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson and more in fantasy football drafts.
More breaking news on a Sunday: The NFL is placing Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list. While on the list, Jacobs will not be allowed to practice or play, making it highly possible that Green Bay opens the season without their starting running back.
Our team has already updated our rankings and fantasy projections to keep you ready for your drafts.
Dwain McFarland and Matthew Freedman moved MarShawn Lloyd to a RB2, and others are in the same range.
Keep an eye on the latest fantasy projections and fantasy football rankings updates, as Zain Dhanani has bumped Lloyd up 60 (!) spots to top-65 player status.
Unlock Our Tools!
Stop hitting the paywall. FL+ gives you access to our premium in-depth content, expert rankings & projections, mock draft simulator, and all the tools you need – all personalized to your league.
Fantasy Football Fallout Of Josh Jacobs On Commissioner's Exempt List
With a potential suspension looming for weeks, Jacobs’ fantasy football ADP has plummeted, making him a very risky selection in drafts over the past two weekends. How long Jacobs will be on the exempt list remains to be seen, especially with his court date not scheduled until November. But he obviously becomes a player you really can’t consider drafting with the start of the season two weeks away.
Jacobs joined the Packers in 2024. Since then, here are his ranks among running backs:
- 6th in carries per game (16.7)
- 3rd in rushing TDs per game (0.88)
- 1st in goal-to-go carries per game (1.94)
- 10th in PPR PPG (16.5)
Last season, Jacobs was well on his way to another massive workload year. Through Weeks 1-10, Jacobs handled 68% of the snaps, 71% of the rush attempts and averaged 21.1 touches per game. But a Week 11 knee strain plagued him the rest of the season, resulting in two missed games, as well as a smaller role when healthy. From Week 12 on, Jacobs fell to a 45% snap share, 53% rush share and 14.6 touches per game.
Commissioner's Exempt List Suspension History
- Adrian Peterson, 2014: 15 games
- Greg Hardy, 2014: 15 games
- Reuben Foster, 2018: 5 games
- Kareem Hunt, 2018: 5 games
- Jabrill Peppers, 2024: 7 games
Note: Foster and Hunt went on the list in Week 13, so there were only 5 games left in the season, Peppers was able to return with his case still pending.
MarShawn Lloyd & Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook
In any Jacobs’ absence, the Packers will turn to MarShawn Lloyd, who is finally healthy after dealing with hamstring, ankle, groin and calf injuries that have limited him to a single game since 2024. He’s looked good in the preseason and has handled a workhorse role with the starting offense. If drafting today, Lloyd looks like a reasonable selection in Round 7 of fantasy drafts, likely in the RB range of Jaylen Warren, Jonathon Brooks and Rhamondre Stevenson.
The Packers also rescued Kaleb Johnson from the shadow realm in Pittsburgh, acquiring the former third-round running back on Sunday. Given Lloyd's extensive injury history, Johnson suddenly becomes fantasy-relevant once again ... at least for the time being.
This news also could impact Jordan Love and the Green Bay passing game. Matt LaFleur has deployed a run-first offense over the years, but perhaps this pushes him to lean on Love more. And given some question marks surrounding the defense, we already could have been headed that direction anyway.
This time last year, the Packers looked like one of the best defenses in all of football. And that carried over into the season. But everything changed in Week 15. Green Bay lost Micah Parsons to a torn ACL, and from that point on, this once-vaunted defense suddenly became one to attack. During the final four weeks of the year (including the playoffs), Green Bay’s defense fell apart. With Parsons off the field, the Packers posted a 3.7% sack rate, compared to 7.3% with Parsons on the field. And with Parsons sidelined for the final four weeks of the season, Green Bay allowed over 28 points per game. That resulted in the Packers' pass rate when leading by four-plus points climbing to 62%, the fifth-highest rate in football. For reference, from Weeks 1-15 with Parsons healthy, that pass rate was down at 52% (18th).
More Quick Reaction Analysis
Marshawn Lloyd, the 88th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has played just one game in two seasons while battling injuries throughout his career. He now gets an opportunity to show off his potential and take ownership of this backfield.
Fantasy Life's consensus ranking has him at RB25, and he's worthy of targeting for significant upside in round 6, but there is a chance this could be a split backfield we look to avoid. See Lloyd's season-long projection here
A popular sleeper last year, Kaleb Johnson had a disastrous rookie season for the Pittsburgh Steelers after being selected 83rd overall out of Iowa. With a Rookie Super Model Score of 71, Johnson managed just 28 carries as a rookie, averaging a pedestrian 2.5 yards per carry for 69 total yards and 0 touchdowns. He'll have a real chance to compete for touches in a wide open backfield and is worthy of a late-round dart throw.
Don't be surprised if the Packers add to this backfield. Johnson and Lloyd have 3 combined seasons under their belt, but just 84 combined rushing yards. This is a playoff team reliant on a physical run game, and they may look to add a veteran. If Najee Harris had waited two more weeks, he would likely be the starting running back for the Packers tomorrow.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
By registering or logging in, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Players Mentioned in this Article
Published Updated