Josh Jacobs just made his season debut for the Packers three weeks ago, but fantasy managers who roster him will have to put him on the bench for the moment. In Week 9, the RB was injured after handling just four touches and did not return to the contest. Now, there’s some clarity on his status that’ll leave him sidelined for at least one game – if not longer.
How long will Jacobs miss due to this injury?
Josh Jacobs injury update
The Packers’ RB1 spent the first chunk of the campaign on the Commissioner’s Exempt list due to off-field allegations, waiting until Week 7 to make his season debut. While his rushing efficiency has floundered since getting on the field with just 2.2 YPC, the veteran scored 20+ PPR points in each of his first two contests largely thanks to 11 receptions and three total touchdowns. However, his return met a major roadblock in Week 9 as he suffered a finger injury that sent him to the locker room twice and ultimately limited him to just four carries for five yards.
On Monday, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur revealed that Jacobs broke the ring finger on his right hand and will require surgery to repair it. It’s also worth noting that playing through the issue doesn’t seem to be an option. Per reporting from ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, LaFleur said that Jacobs tried to play through the injury but “just had no grip strength.” The most important thing to know, though, is that LaFleur wouldn’t rule out an IR stint for the RB.
The Packers’ run game has been paltry all season, and Jacobs’ poor efficiency hasn’t done much to separate himself from the rest of the team’s struggling runners. However, he did bring clear upside in the receiving game and has shown a clear nose for the end zone since joining the franchise a couple of seasons ago. In his absence – however long that may be – the backfield will be led by MarShawn Lloyd if he can return from a knee injury, Kaleb Johnson and Pierre Strong Jr.
Fantasy football managers will certainly want to know when Jacobs will return, but as LaFleur said, his timeline is still “to be determined.” For the moment, it seems he’s virtual lock to miss Week 10 at the least, with potential for this to turn into a multi-week absence. The worst-case scenario for fantasy teams with Jacobs is that he hits IR, which would leave him sidelined for at least four games at minimum. The Packers also have a bye in Week 11, meaning that Jacobs wouldn’t be eligible to return until Week 15 at the earliest due to that bye if he were to be placed on the IR.
