PierreStrong

Oct 12

Chris Brooks landed on injured reserve with an ankle injury, forcing Green Bay to make a change.

Green Bay has utilized almost a perfect three-man rotation over the last three weeks, with Brooks playing 34. 6% of snaps, MarShawn Lloyd occupying another 34. 6% and Kaleb Johnson at 30%. Johnson held a slight lead on early downs, Brooks was the clear receiving back and Lloyd led in short-yardage and goal-line situations, but all three received notable snaps in all circumstances. With Brooks on injured reserve, Pierre Strong Jr. was signed off the Packers' own practice squad. Strong largely took Brooks' role as the third-down and passing-down back. However, the Packers made an additional change, turning back into a two-man backfield, with Lloyd as the lead back. Before garbage time, Lloyd played 51. 9% of snaps and Strong 48. 1%. Johnson didn’t see his first offensive snaps until garbage time. He broke a 23-yard run, leading to more yards per carry than Lloyd. While the Packers are still having trouble finding success in the run game, it will be a lot easier for Lloyd to have fantasy value without having to compete for carries with Johnson. The Packers have a nice stretch of upcoming games, and with more teams on bye weeks, Lloyd could be a borderline fantasy starter. On the flip side, Johnson can be dropped in leagues where he has been rostered.

Matt Schneidman·Oct 10

Chris Brooks, who leads the Packers this season with 4.7 yards per carry on 15 touches after a 27-yard run last week, has missed both practices this week with an ankle injury. That leaves Lloyd and Johnson in the backfield, along with Pierre Strong Jr., whom the Packers signed from the practice squad to the active roster on Thursday. Lloyd has 30 carries for 81 yards this season, and Johnson has 20 carries for 80 yards. Stenavich said Johnson would get more opportunities if Brooks is out. The Packers' nonexistent running game currently ranks 32nd in rushing yards per game and 31st in yards per carry. Stenavich said before the Buccaneers game that the team had discussed abandoning its by-committee approach in the backfield. He said part of the reason Lloyd hasn't gotten going is that he hasn't received enough reps to build a rhythm. Kaleb Johnson fumbled at the 1-yard line, while Lloyd's trickled out of bounds inside the red zone.