The Josh Jacobs saga took another turn on Thursday, September 10, as he appeared in court and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property.
This followed being placed on the NFL’s commissioner’s exempt list last month revolving around his arrest in May. So far, Jacobs remains on the exempt list, but Thursday’s news could help accelerate the process for an official suspension.
Below, we’ll look at the latest Josh Jacobs news and what a potential suspension may look like. Plus, Jacobs’ absence continues to impact the Packers’ fantasy football outlook and player picks for PrizePicks.
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Josh Jacobs Suspension Ahead After Pleading No Contest?
Jacobs was originally arrested in late May on counts of battery, including domestic abuse and criminal damage of property. Then, in late August, the Packers RB was officially charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
The NFL reacted a few days later by placing Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list, meaning he’s not permitted to practice or attend games while on the list.
Jacobs was initially set to appear in court on November 17, but Jacobs was able to move that court date up to Thursday, potentially accelerating the process to return to the field. During his court appearance, Jacobs made a statement.
His attorneys also issued a statement, “With this agreement, Josh has accepted responsibility for his conduct and resolved this matter.” That agreement entails entering a plea of guilty or no contest for the misdemeanor charges while being issued a $1,000 fine on five conditions: no further criminal acts, no contact with the victim, supervision, counseling, and paying restitution to the victim.
As mentioned, the NFL has yet to change Jacobs’ status, as the league continues to monitor and investigate the incident.
For now, there’s no timetable for when the NFL could hand Jacobs a suspension. Falcons EDGE James Pearce Jr. is the most recent example, with Pearce being suspended for eight games this season following an arrest surrounding a domestic dispute.
With that said, the Packers will likely play several games without their RB1 in the lineup.
Josh Jacobs, Packers Fantasy Football Outlook
After Jacobs was placed on the exempt list, FantasyPros’ average draft position (ADP) quickly shifted with the veteran falling to 82nd overall and RB32 in PPR leagues.
Green Bay RB MarShawn Lloyd has been tabbed as the main benefactor, carrying an 86th and RB32 ADP. The Packers also have RB Chris Brooks behind Lloyd, and they traded for 2025 third-round pick RB Kaleb Johnson in August.
The Packers open the 2026 regular season on Sunday, September 13, vs. the Vikings. Ahead of Week 1, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said Green Bay would use a committee that includes getting Lloyd the ball.
Lloyd was a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft but has rarely played due to injuries.
In 2024, he played in one game with 6 carries for 15 rushing yards (2.5 yards per rushing attempt) and was inactive for seven games from hamstring and ankle injuries. In his second season, Lloyd missed all of 2025 from another hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Brooks appeared in 15 and 17 games over the last two seasons, but he tallied only 36 and 27 rushing attempts in those campaigns.
Johnson struggled to carve out a role with the Steelers in his rookie season, appearing in 10 games with 28 rushing attempts for 69 rushing yards (2.5 yards per carry) in 2025.
According to PrizePicks, Lloyd is projected 43.5 rush yards and a 10.0 fantasy score compared to Brooks’ 13.5 rush yards and 4.5 fantasy score for Week 1 against the Vikings.
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Jacobs’ court appearance on Thursday may have opened the door to receiving an official suspension from the NFL sooner rather than later. For now, eyes turn to MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks in the Packers' backfield for Week 1’s matchup vs. the Vikings.
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