Josh Jacobs Is on a List Your Draft App Does Not Understand
The Packers' lead back cannot practice or play until Roger Goodell says so. The market still has him as an RB2. I checked. Twice.
Josh Jacobs Is on a List Your Draft App Does Not Understand
By GH | thegavfather.com
On August 30, the National Football League put Josh Jacobs on something called the Commissioner's Exempt List.
If you have never heard of the Commissioner's Exempt List, congratulations: you are a normal person. The Exempt List is where the league puts a player when it would like him to stop footballing for a while, but it has not yet decided how long "a while" is. He cannot practice. He cannot play. His court date is November 17. Roger Goodell is the only person with the key, and Roger Goodell does not answer group texts.
This is not Injured Reserve. This is not a suspension with a number on it. This is not Physically Unable to Perform, which we already covered Saturday, and which at least has the dignity of a body part. This is a list for "we are thinking."
The fantasy market, bless it, still has Jacobs around RB14 by ADP. Our board has him at RB53, overall pick 152, with a 0.50 haircut and a FADE signal the size of Wisconsin. That is not a spicy take. That is math noticing that the starter is not allowed to start.
If you drafted him last week as your RB2: you own a late lottery ticket and three Packers named Lloyd, Brooks, and a newly acquired Kaleb Johnson. Packers depth is now a group project. Revisit when there is a return date that is not "ask Roger."
Other humans the league put in drawers
Cutdown week did not only invent the Exempt List. It also stuffed several useful people into drawers labeled IR and PUP, which means they miss at least Weeks 1 through 4 unless someone invents a time machine.
Christian Kirk (SF) — calf, IR designated to return. Misses Weeks 1–4. Eligible as early as Week 5 at Seattle. Our board has him overall 423, which is the model's way of saying "do not draft a man in a drawer." Mike Evans is the early SF WR1 on the board (overall 117, MONITOR for Melbourne), and the early targets are not waiting politely.
James Conner (ARI) — ankle, IR designated to return, official as of August 30. Our board has him overall 302 / RB98. Arizona already waived/injured Trey Benson. The early Cardinals backfield is whichever combination of Jeremiyah Love (our overall 28, high ankle, trending toward Week 1 per August 31 reporting) and the healthy veterans is upright on Sunday. Love is not "FULL GO" in the motivational-poster sense. He is "progressing," which is NFL for "please stop asking until Wednesday."
Zach Charbonnet (SEA) — still on PUP after the ACL. Misses the first four if he stays there, which he has. Our board: overall 272, PUP flag, FADE versus his old ADP. Early Seattle is Jadarian Price (overall 87 / RB33) until further notice. Price is not a secret. He is the guy who is allowed to practice.
None of these are "questionable." Questionable is a vibe. IR and PUP are furniture.
One Offer that is not furniture
While everyone argues about lists, the live Offer on the site this week is TreVeyon Henderson, NE.
We have him RB14 (overall 24). The market has him RB27. That is a 13-spot positional gap and a BUY signal. Projected 12.9 PPG on the Half-PPR-shaped board. He is not on the Exempt List. He is not on PUP. He is a second-year back the consensus is still filing under "maybe later."
If your league mates are busy explaining Jacobs' legal situation like they are on cable news, take the back who can practice.
Rico Dowdle (PIT) is quieter and also real: overall 71 / RB27, POSITIVE camp flag, small BUY. Pittsburgh cleared him a path. He will not win you the draft room argument. He might win you a week in October.
What you do between now and Wednesday Night Football
(Yes, Wednesday. We already yelled about that.)
- Jacobs: late lottery only. Not RB2 price. Not "he'll be back Week 2" price. Exempt means ask Roger.
- Kirk / Conner / Charbonnet: stash only if your bench is lonely. Early work goes to the people who made the 53.
- Henderson: the Offer is the Offer. RB14 vs RB27 is not vibes.
- Do not confuse Jeremiyah Love (ARI, ankle) with Jordan Love (GB, fine). One is a back progressing toward Week 1. One is a quarterback. Your app may not care. You should.
Saturday's column was about Australia, Mahomes' many kinds of fine, and Kittle escaping the PUP list. Kittle practiced August 31. Melbourne is still a maybe before the September 2 flight. That story has not moved enough to rewrite. This one has.
Full rankings at thegavfather.com/rankings. The Offer is on the homepage until the next one elbows it.
An offer your roster can't refuse.
— GH