With Josh Jacobs sidelined, Packers turn to an unproven MarShawn Lloyd to carry the backfield

Green Bay’s running game enters the season with a significant question mark at its center. Starter Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, leaving the Packers without their established workhorse and elevating third-year back MarShawn Lloyd into the leading role for Week 1.

Lloyd’s situation is unusual for a player stepping into a feature back position. A USC product taken with expectations of contributing early, he has appeared in just one NFL game since entering the league, totalling 15 yards at the professional level. His college résumé remains the bulk of his track record: 1,621 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns across three seasons with the Trojans.

Speaking to reporters during his first week of practice as the presumed starter, Lloyd acknowledged the anonymity that still surrounds him around the league.

“A lot of players don’t know me. They’ll watch my college tape, if anything. They won’t even know anything about me, won’t even worry about me. But they will eventually at some point this year,” Lloyd said, according to reporting by NBC 26’s Kelly Hallinan.

The comments double as both a scouting report on his obscurity and a pledge of what’s to come. For a Green Bay offense built around a productive ground attack under Jacobs, the drop-off in proven production is the central storyline heading into opening week — and opponents’ defensive game plans will likely reflect the uncertainty surrounding the new starter.

The media context

The coverage around Lloyd’s promotion highlights the broader economics of NFL content distribution. The story circulated through Yahoo’s syndication of The Sporting News, while local reporting came via Comcast-affiliated NBC stations — Comcast’s NBCUniversal network remains a major conduit for team-level NFL reporting through its broadcast stations and sports platforms. Comcast (CMCSA) traded at $26.49 in recent action, down 0.64% from a prior close of $26.66, with a market capitalization of roughly $94.4 billion in the Communication Services sector.

Fantasy platforms have also seized on the news, with Rotoworld polling followers on Lloyd’s trade value, a sign of how quickly an unproven back’s perceived worth can swing on a depth-chart change.

What to watch

• Jacobs’ status on the Commissioner’s Exempt List and any timeline for his potential return.
• Lloyd’s workload and efficiency in Week 1 — his first extended NFL action since 15 career total yards.
• Whether Green Bay adjusts its offensive scheme to account for an unproven run game.
• Fantasy market reaction, which may signal how evaluators size up Lloyd’s opportunity.

Source: original release