Fantasy Impact: Packers Acquire Kaleb Johnson; NFL Places Josh Jacobs On Exempt List
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It was made known on Wednesday, Aug. 26, that the Packers are prepared for what is starting to feel like a certainty: a Josh Jacobs suspension. Green Bay beat writer for The Athletic, Matt Scheidman, said the following on X.
“Brian Gutekunst (Packers general manager) said they’ve been preparing for a scenario of Josh Jacobs being suspended, just to cover all their bases in case that happens. He’s confident in the RB room behind Jacobs but doesn’t rule out an additional move. Said they’ll tackle that if/when something happens.”
Jacobs on Aug. 30 was put on the commissioner exempt list by the NFL. While Jacobs is on the list, he will still be paid, but can not play in games or practice. There is no set period of time for how long he will be on it, and he could also still be suspended.
The Packers are already being proactive in adding depth to their RB room, as it was recently reported by ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler that Pittsburgh Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson is getting traded to Green Bay.
Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Outlook
Going into his rookie season in 2025, many people saw Johnson as a breakout fantasy football candidate. At one point on many platforms, he was being ranked above RB1 for the Steelers in 2025, Jaylen Warren, in fantasy draft rankings. What went into making Johnson such an intriguing fantasy prospect is how dominant he was at the collegiate level.
In his junior season at Iowa in 2024, he ran for 1,537 yards and had 23 total TDs. But despite this outstanding season, for whatever reason, things have not clicked for Johnson at the NFL level yet.
As many thought he would have had a real run at the RB1 spot in Pittsburgh, Johnson ended up being the team’s RB3 behind veteran RB Kenny Gainwell. He barely saw the field in 2025, logging just 28 carries for 69 rushing yards.
Now in Green Bay, if Jacobs were to get suspended, Johnson would be up for an RB1 spot once again. He will likely have a better chance of winning that job than he did in Pittsburgh, as the RB he will be competing against a player that is just as unproven as he is in the NFL.
MarShawn Lloyd Fantasy Outlook
Before the addition of Johnson, MarShawn Lloyd would have been the clear RB1 for Green Bay. The addition of Johnson is not encouraging for his fantasy outlook, because it calls into question whether Green Bay trusts him to be their starting RB in 2026. But they could just be bolstering their depth also because of his injury history.
Since getting drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Lloyd has only played in one game. He has dealt with a multitude of injuries that have made him miss extended periods of time. However, going into 2026, Lloyd is healthy and has shown some promise in the preseason.
In the Packers' second preseason game against the Denver Broncos, Johnson had 28 scrimmage yards and a TD in the 16 snaps he played. His TD came in the form of an 11-yard reception thrown to him by Green Bay’s starting QB, Jordan Love.
Fantasy managers in the later rounds of fantasy drafts should throw darts at both Johnson and Lloyd.
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Gray Deyo is a Nashville-based sportswriter who graduated with a sports management bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has covered prep sports, college sports, the WNBA, and the NBA for the past four years. In addition to writing for SI, Gray also currently contributes to Prep Girls Hoops