Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon "knows he isn't assured a roster spot" heading into the 2024 season, according to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. While the Packers parted with Aaron Jones this offseason, they replaced him with Josh Jacobs and also drafted MarShawn Lloyd in the third round. Thus, with a crowded backfield, the Packers may need Dillon to go above and beyond this summer in order to keep him on their roster ahead of Week 1. As Wilde notes, though, Dillon is aware of his job insecurity and has put in tremendous work this offseason. "This is as hard as I've seen him work in the offseason," running backs coach Ben Sirmans noted. If Dillon does make the roster, he'll be nothing more than a low-end RB3/FLEX option in fantasy football as he operates behind Jacobs and competes with Lloyd for touches. On the other hand, Green Bay does have some incentive to move on from the Boston College product. Dillon is currently on a one-year prove-it deal, and releasing him would create $1,125,000 in cap space for the Packers while carrying just $167,500 in dead money. This will be a roster battle that all fantasy managers should monitor over the next month-plus.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is still waiting for a new contract. In the meantime, the signal-caller took the opportunity to display his improved footwork during a training event on Thursday. Love's offseason throwing coach, Steve Calhoun, indicated that was an area that needed to be addressed during the offseason, considering he has had issues staying off his back foot with his throws. Love had a rough start to the 2023-24 campaign. Yet, he turned things around to finish the year by throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, adding four scores on the run. Without question, his fantasy stock is higher than ever, although it remains to be seen if the extra work this offseason will improve his accuracy.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft despite not having an impressive resume of production. In two seasons at South Carolina and one year at Southern California, he posted 1,234 rushing yards, 299 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns. However, his 17.8 yards per reception on 13 catches in 2023 and his size-adjusted athleticism led to interest among RB-needy NFL teams. "Following the NFL draft, we heard both [Matt] LaFleur and Adam Stenavich say to some effect that Lloyd brings a different element to this position group for Green Bay, Paul Bretl of ESPN wrote. "After a short time of watching Lloyd on the practice field, you see what LaFleur and Stenavich were referring to, with him bringing a level of burst and acceleration that the other backs just don't have." While he'll begin training camp behind Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon, his versatility and change-of-pace skill set will be hard to keep off the field in 2024. "He definitely can be a weapon out of the backfield," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said. "I love all the measurables. He's a 220-pound back that runs 4.4 and can run routes out of the backfield. I think he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses." With Jacobs entering his age-26 season, he could carry greater injury risk, and Lloyd has the potential to be a top handcuff running back in fantasy football since he's set to play in an ascending offense led by Jordan Love.

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon was once viewed as a future breakout star in fantasy football, but his disastrous 2023 campaign and the addition of rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd have his value at an all-time low. The Boston College product rushed 178 times for 613 yards and two touchdowns last year, and his 3.4-yards-per-carry average was by far the worst of his career. However, heading into his fifth NFL training camp, the 26-year-old is reportedly in the best shape of his life. "Dillon is looking more trim this offseason while still maintaining his muscle mass," Paul Bretl of ESPN wrote. "The result appears to be a more explosive version of Dillon, which the Packers need." While it's a great sign that Dillon is motivated for a bounce-back year, he could be approaching fantasy irrelevance. Josh Jacobs is the clear lead back, while Lloyd is an explosive rusher and pass-catcher that Green Bay will likely feature in the RB2 role. Deep-league fantasy managers can still consider picking him up in the late rounds of drafts, as he could become a viable flex option if Lloyd disappoints and Jacobs struggles to stay healthy.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has hauled in 197 receptions since entering the NFL in 2019, and heading into his first year with Matt LaFleur, he wants to be heavily targeted in the passing game. "I was talking to (LaFleur) about that actually and I was telling him I feel like I want to catch it a little bit more," Jacobs said. "I feel like I didn't get to show that as much as I would have liked. So, that's definitely something in the conversations we had." The former first-round pick has two 50-plus catch seasons on his resume, and he was a solid receiver out of the backfield in college, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he gets his wish. Former Packers running back Aaron Jones earned 311 targets in five seasons with LaFleur, the fifth-most among all ball carriers during that span. Jacobs is being drafted as a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2, which could prove to be a discount in PPR formats.