MarShawn Lloyd Faces Pressure to Keep Packers Starting RB Job vs. Falcons

With Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner's Exempt List, MarShawn Lloyd has struggled as Green Bay's lead back heading into Thursday night's matchup with Atlanta.

The Green Bay Packers head into their Week 3 Thursday night game against the Atlanta Falcons with questions at running back. Josh Jacobs, the team's top back, has spent the season on the Commissioner's Exempt List because of off-field issues during the offseason, leaving Green Bay to use a committee approach in his absence.

MarShawn Lloyd has nominally been the starter, but his production has lagged. Through two games, the 25-year-old has 19 carries for 57 yards and two receptions for six yards, with one receiving touchdown. That averages out to roughly three yards per rushing attempt.

Lloyd, a third-round pick in 2024 out of USC, has battled injuries since entering the league and appeared in only one regular-season game over his first two years. He stayed healthy this season, but the explosiveness he showed in college, including 820 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in his final season with the Trojans, has yet to carry over to the NFL.

The pressure is mounting ahead of the Atlanta game. FanSided analyst Dylan Carter named Lloyd among the Packers players with the most to prove Thursday, writing that the back needs to improve on his yards per carry to keep his starting role and warning that second-year back Kaleb Johnson could take the job.

Johnson saw his first offensive action for Green Bay in last week's win over the New York Jets, leading the team with 32 rushing yards on eight carries. The Packers acquired him from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade just before the regular season began.

If Lloyd cannot turn things around against the Falcons, head coach Matt LaFleur could shift the workload toward Johnson beginning in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.