Josh Jacobs Injury: Packers RB Out vs. Vikings, Could Return in 2-3 Weeks
Jacobs needs surgery on his broken finger, Green Bay decides on IR Saturday, and Kaleb Johnson is in line to start against Minnesota.
The Josh Jacobs injury will keep the Green Bay Packers’ lead back out of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, but it may not cost him much more than that. Jacobs is having surgery this week on his broken right ring finger and could be back in as little as two to three weeks, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. Green Bay will decide Saturday whether he goes on injured reserve, and Rapoport said that move isn’t guaranteed.
#Packers RB Josh Jacobs, who will have surgery later this week on his broken ring finger, could return as quickly as 2-3 weeks, sources say. Green Bay will decide Saturday if IR is necessary but it’s not guaranteed.
Jacobs is out vs the #Vikings before the bye. After that, he’s… pic.twitter.com/A2tJx62NEc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 11, 2026
The timing helps. The Packers are off in Week 11, so if Rapoport’s timeline holds, Jacobs would miss one game, the Vikings, and could be ready when Green Bay returns from the bye.
How the Josh Jacobs injury happened
Jacobs broke the finger in the first quarter of Sunday’s 45-27 win at New England. He had four carries for five yards before he left, NFL.com reported. He tried to go back in, but coach Matt LaFleur said Monday he had no grip strength, and playing through it without surgery wasn’t realistic.
Asked about injured reserve, LaFleur said everything was a possibility, Packers.com reported. An IR stint would mean at least four games. Jacobs did not practice Wednesday, according to USA Today.
Why the IR call matters
The IR decision is about roster math as much as the finger. Chris Brooks was designated to return from injured reserve last week and practiced for the first time since his Week 4 ankle injury, ESPN reported. Putting Jacobs on IR would open a spot for Brooks without cutting anyone, which is one reason Heavy noted the team could go that route even with a short timeline.
Green Bay also passed on a running back at Tuesday’s trade deadline despite links to the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor and the Ravens’ Derrick Henry, Heavy noted, even as Indianapolis moved other veterans in its deadline sell-off. A two-to-three-week timeline for Jacobs helps explain why.
Kaleb Johnson gets his shot
The Packers’ run game has been the worst in the league, per NFL.com, and Jacobs hadn’t fixed it. He spent the first six weeks on the Commissioner Exempt List, and in three games since returning he had 36 carries for 80 yards, a 2.2-yard average, and one rushing touchdown, ESPN reported. He was more useful as a receiver, with 11 catches for 68 yards and two scores. The NFL’s investigation into allegations against him is still ongoing.
The best rushing day of Green Bay’s season came after Jacobs left New England. Kaleb Johnson, a second-year back acquired in a trade before the season, ran 14 times for a career-high 68 yards and a touchdown. He had been a healthy inactive the two games before that.
| Packers RB | Status for Week 10 |
|---|---|
| Josh Jacobs | Out (finger surgery) |
| Kaleb Johnson | Expected lead back |
| MarShawn Lloyd | Missed Week 9 (knee), not on Wednesday’s report |
| Pierre Strong Jr. | Active depth |
| Chris Brooks | IR, practice window open |
Johnson is the likely starter against Minnesota, Packers.com editor Mike Spofford said in his midweek chat, though Brooks could still come off IR this week. MarShawn Lloyd, who missed the Patriots game with a knee injury he suffered in practice, was not listed on Wednesday’s injury report, NBC Sports reported. If he’s healthy, he figures to handle passing downs.
Fantasy take: Kaleb Johnson is a flex, not a lock
Johnson is the Packers back to add this week, but this looks like a split. Lloyd’s return would cut into his touches, and Brooks is lurking. Treat Johnson as a flex in 12-team leagues and hope for the goal-line work he got in Foxborough. Jacobs managers should hold him: a Week 12 return is on the table if Green Bay skips IR. If you’re looking for a steadier back this week, Cam Skattebo is cleared for Thursday night with a bigger workload lined up.
Vikings at Lambeau, then the bye
Sunday’s game carries plenty on its own. Green Bay is 6-3 and Minnesota is 6-2 in a tight NFC North, and Kirk Cousins is back under center for the Vikings after Tuesday’s trade from Las Vegas. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field. The Packers’ IR decision on Jacobs comes Saturday, and that will tell fantasy managers and fans how soon he could be back after the bye.
Sources: Ian Rapoport on X, NFL.com, Packers.com, ESPN, ESPN (Kaleb Johnson), Packers.com chat, NBC Sports, USA Today, Heavy
