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Is MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, or Chris Brooks the RB1 for the Packers? Should you start MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, or Chris Brooks in Week 1? Andy's expert fantasy football advice.
The Green Bay Packers running back room has been a major topic of discussion leading up to the start of the 2026 NFL season. The lead running back, Josh Jacobs, was placed on the Commissioner's Exemption List in late August, which will prevent him from playing and practicing with the team.
As a result, the team's backup, MarShawn Lloyd, has been pushed up draft boards ahead of the start of the regular season as he appeared to be the favorite to take on a massive workload.
However, recent news suggests that Lloyd may not remain the "clear" RB1 of the roster. Should managers start any of the Packers' running backs in Week 1? Let's dive in!
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MarShawn Lloyd Fantasy Football Outlook
Leading up to Week 1, Lloyd appeared poised to take the lion's share of the backfield. Even though the team traded for Kaleb Johnson and already had Chris Brooks on the roster, Lloyd was taking most "RB1" reps while Jacobs was out with a groin injury and appeared to have earned the coaches' trust.
However, on Monday, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich told the media that the team will begin the season with a committee approach in the backfield. However, Stenavich noted that "[Lloyd] definitely has explosive ability, playmaking ability," suggesting he has the upside to emerge as the lead option.
While this recent update does limit Lloyd's short-term upside, he could still emerge as the preferred option while Jacobs is sidelined. Even though Lloyd has appeared in just one NFL game over his first two seasons, he flashed elite upside at USC and could show similar potential now fully healthy.
During his final seasons in college, Lloyd averaged an elite 7.1 YPC while totaling 820 yards with nine rushing touchdowns.
Given this update, managers should view Lloyd as a risky RB2/FLEX option in their Week 1 tilt against the Vikings. Last season, the Vikings averaged 124 rushing yards per game, but there could be a scenario where Lloyd gets only 10-15 carries as they look to keep Johnson and Brooks involved.
Packers to Deploy a Running Back Committee to Begin the Season
https://t.co/Rpl8oGrs2n— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 8, 2026
Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook
Johnson joined the Packers shortly before Jacobs was shifted to the Commissioner's Expert List. However, like Lloyd, Johnson has not had much success at the professional level, despite being selected with a Day 2 pick in last year's NFL Draft (83rd overall).
During his debut season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson had a minimal role, taking only 28 carries for a mere 69 yards. He spent most of his time on special teams and would only log more than 10 offensive snaps in just two games all season.
However, at Iowa, Johnson led the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,577) and rushing touchdowns (21) in his final season and was even named consensus All-American.
Fantasy managers in deeper formats should view Johnson as an intriguing stash option but should not consider starting him in Week 1. There is no guarantee that Johnson will see a sizable workload, nor even be ahead of Brooks on the depth chart.
Familiarity With Packers' Scheme Should Help Kaleb Johnson https://t.co/3WdbCUatRm
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 4, 2026
Chris Brooks Fantasy Football Outlook
The other option in the backfield to know is Brooks. Brooks began his NFL career with the Dolphins (in 2023) but joined the Packers in 2024. During his first season in Green Bay, Brooks took 36 carries for 183 yards and a touchdown. He caught another 11 passes through the air for 69 yards.
In 2025, he saw a similar role, taking 27 carries for 106 yards but saw a slight uptick in passing usage, catching 13 passes for 91 yards. Despite the minor increase, Brooks was deployed as a typical change-of-pace option behind Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson (now in Seattle).
While he could eventually emerge as the clear No, 2 in the backfield in front of Johnson, managers should not expect him to emerge as the lead option. Brooks saw most of the usage on passing downs and will likely see a similar role while Jacobs remains sidelined.
Who Should You Start in Week 1?
Given that the Packers are unlikely to deploy a true lead option this Sunday when they face the Vikings, neither running back has entered "must-start" status. Those in deeper 12+ team leagues who lack depth at RB or FLEX could consider Lloyd as a viable play, but he comes with risk.
Seeing Lloyd take most of the starting opportunities in camp suggests he has an edge over the competition, but a slow start could open the door for Brooks or Johnson to carve out carries later in the contest.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson. But don't worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help you make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we'll tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Kaleb Johnson. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Kaleb Johnson compared to others:
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