Josh Jacobs' May arrest went months without any news or steps toward a resolution. That all changed leading up to the NFL's mandatory deadline to set rosters at 53 players on August 30, as Jacobs was charged with battery and criminal damage to property last week and then placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday. When a player is placed on that list, he still gets paid but cannot play nor practice with the team until he's off it.
For Fantasy football managers preparing for their drafts over the next two weeks, there's no telling how long Jacobs will be out. Could be six games, could be the entire season. Nearly every player previously placed on the commissioner's exempt list specifically after getting charged for domestic violence-related crimes did not play that season after being placed on it.
That includes Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy in early September 2014, and Kareem Hunt and Reuben Foster in mid-to-late November 2018 (both of whom were ultimately released from their teams). Jabrill Peppers was placed on the exempt list in 2024 but was taken off seven weeks later because he had already sat out the equivalent of the minimum six-game suspension players get for domestic violence-related issues. That's notable because Peppers' exempt-list stay was during the current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players.
The Packers may have telegraphed their expectations for Jacobs' availability by acquiring second-year running back Kaleb Johnson from Pittsburgh for a sixth-round pick in 2028. He bolsters the Packers' running back depth chart behind MarShawn Lloyd and Christopher Brooks, both of whom are expected to handle rushing duties until further notice. Fantasy Football is trivial in such serious matters, but those drafting and managing rosters want some guidance on what to do.
At this point, Jacobs could be subject to a suspension that lasts a minimum of six games per the NFL's personal conduct policy. However, such a suspension would end by mid-October, a full month before his first court appearance. If circumstances are similar to the Peppers case in 2024, it's possible the NFL removes Jacobs from the list after six games, though facts surrounding the case may or may not change that.
A stay on the exempt list through the initial court appearance would mean Jacobs misses the team's first 10 games, putting him back on track to play Week 12, though the results of the court appearance could impact that. And, of course, there's a chance he sits for the whole season just as players before him did. This could especially be the case if the NFL is made aware of the severity of the incident.
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