Is Josh Jacobs Playing Tonight? (Update, Betting Impact for Cowboys vs. Packers in NFL Week 6)

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is on track to return to the lineup in Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jacobs will be removed from the league's Commissioner's Exempt List on Monday, following the Packers' Week 6 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

Jacobs will be inactive for Week 6, but he is on track to return in Week 7, barring any further discipline. According to Schefter, the league's investigation into Jacobs will remain open, so it reserves the right to discipline the star running back further if necessary.

ESPN sources: Packers RB Josh Jacobs is being removed from the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt list on Monday. The investigation will remain open for the NFL so it reserves the right to add further discipline if and when warranted. Jacobs is expected to be eligible to play in Week 7. pic.twitter.com/sAX0pDV9JT
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 16, 2026

Jacobs has not played in a game in the 2026 season after he was charged with two misdemeanors after a dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Earlier in the year, Jacobs accepted a non contest plea agreement for a misdemeanor charge of battery.

"Josh has dedicated the last several months to bettering himself, and he accepts responsibility for his actions," Jacobs' attorneys attorneys Clarence F. Duchac III, David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld told Sports Illustrated in a statement. "He is excited to get back to work and on the field with his teammates. Josh is grateful for the support he is receiving from his teammates, coaches, the Packers organization, and the greatest fans in the world. Since there are ongoing legal matters, he will not have any further comment."

Green Bay has been rolling with Marshawn Lloyd as the team's top back with Jacobs ineligible, and he'll be backed up by Kaleb Johnson and Pierre Strong Jr. in Week 6 with Chris Brooks currently on injured reserve. Lloyd found the end zone twice in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, and he has a favorable matchup against the Dallas defense, which is No. 32 in the league in EPA/Play.

Even though Jacobs has not played yet this season, he is expected to return as the team's starting running back in Week 7, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Josh Jacobs will immediately return as the Packers’ starting running back next week at Detroit.

Meanwhile, Micah Parsons still isn’t ready to practice, making it unlikely he plays before Nov. 8 against the Patriots at the soonest.

More in The Sweep: https://t.co/hVvUAJDNjT pic.twitter.com/2M9OZC0qlY
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 17, 2026

Jacobs' eventual return is massive for a Green Bay team that has the fewest rushing yards in the NFL through five weeks. The former first-round pick had a big 2025 season, rushing for 929 yards on 234 carries (4.0 yards per carry) in 15 games. He found the end zone 13 times on the ground, and he added 36 catches (on 44 targets) for 282 yards and an additional score.

Even though Jacobs won't play in Week 6, the Packers are 1.5-point favorites at home in the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Green Bay is now 3-2 in the 2026 season after beating Chicago in Week 5, and it has a chance to gain ground on Minnesota and Detroit (both on the bye in Week 6) with a win on Sunday night.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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