Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioners Exempt List on August 30th. The hearing being moved up 2 months could lead to a much earlier resolution to Jacobs’ status for 2026 – and potentially beyond. While Jacobs did struggle a bit last year in efficiency, partly due to playing through nagging injuries, ranking 48th in True Yards Per Carry in 2025 amongst RB’s with a minimum of 200 snaps, there is little doubt that if he returns that he will be the lead back.
Jacobs is currently ranked RB52 in the PlayerProfiler redraft rankings and RB46 in dynasty. This news bolsters his chances of playing this season, as the quicker the legal case is settled, the greater the chance that the NFL decides their potential punishment. The NFL-NFLPA CBA calls for a 6-game baseline suspension if he is found in violation of Domestic Violence under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy. Important disclaimer: If video of the incident leaks and it looks bad, the NFL could suspend him indefinitely, as they did with Ray Rice back in 2014. Rice never played another down in the NFL.
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Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List following misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property, stemming from an incident at his home on May 23. While general manager Brian Gutekunst did not provide a definitive timeline for his return, his comments are to date, the first indicator that the organization expects him to play for Green Bay at some point this season.
Even though Gutekunst stopped short of setting an exact return date, the expectation that Jacobs will eventually suit up should help stabilize his freefall in redraft (currently RB52) and dynasty formats (currently RB46). Fantasy managers who drafted him in late August may yet be rewarded with a discounted, quality running back who finished No. 14 in PlayerProfiler’s Yards Created metric, assuming he returns without missing significant time.
The Packers acquired Kaleb Johnson from Pittsburgh for a sixth round pick, adding another intriguing young back to a Green Bay depth chart full of uncertainty. Johnson’s rookie season with the Steelers never developed after a Week 2 special teams mistake, but his prospect profile remains interesting.
The bigger fantasy question is MarShawn Lloyd, whose injury history has made his availability a constant concern, while Josh Jacobs still faces potential suspension. Johnson is worth a deep league dart, but this move puts another body between Lloyd and a potential workload explosion if Jacobs misses time. Johnson, currently PlayerProfilers RB99 but expected to rise with his new landing spot.
The NFL has placed Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner’s Exempt List following misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges stemming from a May incident. Jacobs will not be allowed to practice or play while on the exempt list, and there is currently no timetable for his return or indication whether additional discipline will follow.
The timing of Green Bay’s trade for former third-round pick Kaleb Johnson is notable and suggests the Packers were preparing for the possibility of Jacobs missing time. MarShawn Lloyd remains the favorite for the largest immediate role, but Johnson is worth a deep stash in dynasty, best ball, and deeper redraft formats while the uncertainty surrounding Jacobs plays out.
There is more to this story than just football skills. Despite bringing an 89th-percentile 103.9 Speed Score and a 99th-percentile 48.9-percent College Dominator Rating to Pittsburgh, Kaleb Johnson saw five snaps in the preseason opener. The coaching staff pushed the third-round pick down to sixth in the running back rotation during Sunday’s full-pads practice.
A cut candidate at the start of preseason, Johnson was already undraftable in seasonal formats. A tumble to RB6 signals a further eroded second-year opportunity share that demands an immediate valuation downgrade in fantasy football dynasty formats. Johnson is PlayerProfiler’s Dynasty RB85, a historical decline for a college workhorse with Day 2 draft capital.
The Steelers and running back Jaylen Warren have agreed to a 2-year deal that will pay Warren $7 million with $12 million guaranteed. Warren is the veteran in the backfield. The team added Kaleb Johnon in the 2025 NFL Draft in round 3.
With Najee Harris leaving via free agency to the Los Angeles Chargers, there is opportunity for Warren to be the lead back. While most believe Kaleb Johnson will take the Harris role, Warren can provide plenty of pop out of the backfield. Warren was 13th in yards per touch in 2024 with 5.2 and 6th in yards per route run at 2.50. Warren is a year removed from posting 61 receptions.
While this is a nice deal for Warren, it shouldn’t dissuade fantasy gamers from acquiring or drafting Kaleb Johnson. Warren ranked 46th for opportunity share in 2024 and is an undersized back at 5’8’’ and 207 pounds. Take this news as a chance to trade for Kaleb Johnson.
Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)
