Green Bay Packers News

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) is not listed on the team's Week 1 injury report as they get set to take on the division-rival Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Kraft is ready to roll for the season opener after suffering a season-ending torn ACL last year. There were some reports during training camp this summer that suggested that Kraft could be on a snap count early in the 2026 season, but since he has been practicing in full pads for weeks, that seems unlikely. The 25-year-old former third-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft from South Dakota State was among the best at his position last year before getting hurt, catching 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games played, and despite coming off a serious knee injury, he is expected to be a top-five option at the TE position in 2026, especially with Packers receivers Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks no longer in town. Start Kraft with confidence in Week 1 against the Vikings.

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson, who was acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers during training camp to help with RB depth in light of the Josh Jacobs (personal) situation, could be a factor immediately in the Week 1 season opener this Sunday versus the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the team's official website. "Yes. He's done a nice job. It does help there was some carryover not only from when he was at Iowa with Tim Lester but also having Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh," head coach Matt LaFleur said when asked if Johnson could help this weekend. The 23-year-old from Iowa had a forgettable rookie year in the Steel City in 2025, carrying the ball only 28 times for 69 yards in 10 regular-season games. Now in Green Bay, Johnson has some interesting short-term fantasy value in deeper leagues with Jacobs out for Week 1 and potentially facing an early-season suspension. MarShawn Lloyd is expected to see most of the backfield work out of the gate, but he has only played in one NFL game due to injuries. We are not recommending Johnson as a starting fantasy option in Week 1, but he is worth a waiver-wire flier if you have Jacobs rostered and are looking for more RB depth. Johnson is rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues.

When asked if he hopes that Thursday's initial court appearances in running back Josh Jacobs' case will provide more clarity about his future, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said, "The more clarity, the better, but it's just wait and see." Jacobs is not expected to appear in court on Thursday, but his lawyers will, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. Fantasy managers and the Packers are hoping that we will get some clarity on Thursday in terms of a potential suspension for Jacobs, who remains on the commissioner's exempt list. The 28-year-old running back will not be available for the team's Week 1 season opener this Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, and it is unclear how much longer he will be out. The uncertainty about Jacobs' status caused his draft stock to plummet, with MarShawn Lloyd now the favorite for lead-back duties in Green Bay in the short term. Jacobs is still rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues and will be the Packers' top RB when he returns, but in the meantime, he must remain on benches everywhere.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden has a much clearer path to playing time entering his second season. Golden was the top breakout choice in a poll of NFL executives and scouts conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler after a quiet rookie year in which he caught 29 passes for 361 yards on 44 targets. One AFC executive questioned why Green Bay didn't use the former first-round pick more and pointed to his speed as a reason for optimism. The opportunity looks different now. Romeo Doubs left in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded to Philadelphia, while Golden is listed with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed among Green Bay's starting receivers. He also flashed in the playoffs, catching four passes for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown against Chicago. Golden still has to turn the opportunity into production, but the path to a much larger Year 2 role is there.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is ready to step into the lead-back role for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, despite playing just one game over the last two seasons. Injuries have kept Lloyd sidelined for all but one game throughout his NFL career. However, the Packers are optimistic he'll be able to fill the void left by Josh Jacobs, who was recently placed on the commissioner's exempt list. "[Lloyd is as] ready as he's ever been since he's been here," general manager Brian Gutekunst told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. "He looks good. He's handling all the physicality, the things that he needs to as a running back." Head coach Matt Lafleur has echoed Gutekunst's optimistic tone, but he also declined to pencil Lloyd into a specific workload. Given that Lloyd has just seven touches as a pro, it's unlikely that he'll occupy an every-down role. In all likelihood, Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks will earn some touches. With that being said, if there's a Green Bay running back to roster, it's Lloyd. He projects as a fringe RB2/RB3 this week and for the duration of Jacobs' absence.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden is set for a larger role in the Packers' offense this season and could be a late-round sleeper with true breakout potential. Last year, as a rookie, the first-round pick from Texas totaled 29 catches for 361 receiving yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown in the team's playoff game against the Bears, finishing with four catches for 84 yards and a score. After inconsistent playing time, Golden is locked into a top-three role on the Packers for this year after the team traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Eagles and watched Romeo Doubs sign with the Patriots as a free agent. Golden should be locked into three-wide sets alongside Jayden Reed and Christian Watson. As an outside threat with breakaway speed, Golden could be a big-play-reliant starting option in deep leagues based on his more consistent role. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 44 WR in PPR leagues, and he's a solid late-round option to consider as you build depth into your receiving corps. The first-round pick has plenty of upside, even though he remains unproven, and he is therefore a high-risk, high-reward sleeper to target.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd and newcomer Kaleb Johnson were both working with quarterback Jordan Love in individual drills during Wednesday's practice, according to Ryan Wood of USA Today. Lloyd went from being the team's RB2 to being thrust into a potential lead-back role for Week 1 when the Packers placed Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list over the weekend. The 25-year-old has appeared in just one NFL game since the Packers took him in the third round in 2024 out of USC due to injuries, but he is primed for a significant role in the backfield with Jacobs sidelined. It is unclear exactly how Green Bay's touches will be distributed behind Love, but if Wednesday's practice is any indication, it could be a 50/50 split between Lloyd and Johnson, a third-rounder out of Iowa by the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. Lloyd's speed and athleticism have suddenly made him a mid-round target at the RB position, despite his lack of NFL experience. He is currently ranked as the No. 28 RB at RotoBaller, right behind Jaylen Warren of the Steelers.