Fantasy football impact of NFL placing Packers RB Josh Jacobs on commissioner exempt list

Packers running back Josh Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday , stemming from an alleged battery at his home. The district attorney's office charged him with two misdemeanor charges and released a report of the incident.

In that report , there is indication of surveillance video that corroborates with the victim's testimony of battery and destruction of property (her cell phone). Historically, the NFL tends to wait until the legal process plays out before suspending a player, but one way that process gets expedited is with video evidence. It's unclear if the NFL has seen this video or if it is concerned about it leaking, but it would not be a surprise if this evidence landed Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list even though his first day in court isn't until November and even though his legal case is more likely to be concluded in 2027.

How many games Jacobs will miss is to be determined.

The Jabrill Peppers case in 2024 is similar. Peppers was accused of domestic violence, and he was placed on the commissioner's exempt list even though his legal case hadn't been finalized. He missed the first seven games of the season , and he was removed from the list then because NFL rules call for a six-game suspension for a first offense of domestic violence. If he stayed on the list for beyond the six games, then he'd be serving a longer suspension than what is outlined. This would be the precedent for Jacobs being suspended for the first six or so games of 2026.

Of course, that's just one way this can play out. Jacobs can come off the list at any point, and he can stay on it for longer than the 6-7 games that was suggested above. What is on the video and if it will be released to the public could play into how long his absence will be. That could also play into if the Packers want to hold onto him this season. The Packers stated that they expect Jacobs to be a Packer in 2026 , but things could change with public pressure.

Jacobs could not miss any time in 2026 in theory. This would be equally surprising, as Jacobs could've avoided the commissioner's exempt list. The range for games missed this year truly is 0-17 with the most likely scenario being around the six games outlined by the personal conduct policy. It's now far more likely to happen in September and October.

When strictly talking about Jacobs the football player, he would likely be viewed as the Packers' starter upon return, but his status of a clear-cut bellcow is more in doubt with Marshawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks available to emerge while he's away from practice and game action. Jacobs was the RB12 on RB10 usage last fantasy football season as the clear-cut starter. That's closer to his ceiling in games when he's available. I'm assuming he's in the RB12-18 range from Week 7 on, as an upside fantasy RB2. It's a bit easier to find replacements before bye weeks and before injuries pile up, but Jacobs is impossible to justify going ahead of Jadarian Price, Bucky Irving and others with season-long upside without likely missing time. Jacobs is my 72nd overall player and RB28 in half PPR right now, just after Jaylen Warren and Rhamondre Stevenson types. Those examples face in-house competition and have less league-winning upside than Jacobs.

Lloyd was a great insurance target before news broke, yet was drafted on only 10% of Yahoo leagues heading into the weekend. He should be (and will be) drafted in 100% of Yahoo drafts moving forward. Lloyd was a real prospect and went in the third round of the NFL Draft as a bigger back with pass-catching experience and quality athleticism. Soft-tissue injuries stemming from a college knee injury zapped his playing time early in his career, but Lloyd has been healthy throughout the offseason and he has solidified himself as the Packers' RB2 ahead of pass-protecting fullback hybrid Chris Brooks.

Lloyd has upside RB2 value without Jacobs active. That profile deserves to be priced well ahead of theoretical insurance types, as it appears he will get a month or so of starts. I moved him to 92nd overall and RB34 in half PPR, right next to Rams RB2 Blake Corum and Steelers 1B Rico Dowdle. There's risk in Lloyd not getting a bellcow role with newly-acquired Kaleb Johnson being an outside zone early-down option, or if Lloyd's injury history is too extensive to immediately graduate him to nearly 20 touches per game. About sixish games of RB20 value to start the year unlocks riskier builds, like drafting TreVeyon Henderson, Jonathon Brooks or more hero RB teams.

It's possible to draft Jacobs and Lloyd together if either fall beyond the 72nd and 92nd overall rankings that I outlined here. It's a conservative approach, but the Packers' starting RB role has been valuable for years.

On the margins, Jacobs' projected absence helps out Jordan Love, Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft as well. Since 2024 when Jacobs joined the Packers, they've been 31st in neutral pass rate and 31st in neutral pace. It's been one of the most conservative offenses, which has limited the entire pass game. That likely changes now. Love and this young, explosive skill group is ripe for more trust. The coaching staff has expressed operating faster out of the huddle during the offseason, and the Packers played that way with the starters earlier in the preseason. More plays and more pass attempts is how Love, Golden and Reed can pay off as fantasy sleepers . The fact that they aren't rotating a WR4 and WR5 this year is equally important.

The Packers are the team I've drafted the most this offseason. That's not going to change in my remaining drafts.