The Green Bay Packers are leaning on several young players to step up in 2026.
They have no shortage of them, and will be a tough team to beat if they are developed properly. Second-year wide receiver Matthew Golden has been the Packers’ most popular breakout candidate, but another is beginning to emerge.
RB MarShawn Lloyd Named Breakout Candidate for Green Bay Packers in 2026
GettyPackers RB MarShawn Lloyd
Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated recently selected two players from each NFL team as potential breakout candidates this upcoming season. Like many others, one of them was Golden. However, she also made a case for Lloyd.
“Elsewhere on offense, MarShawn Lloyd could be in for a more significant role if he can stay healthy—which has been a challenge for him through his first two NFL seasons. Josh Jacobs was recently arrested on five charges, though he was released from custody and back with the Packers in OTAs. With Emanuel Wilson leaving for Seattle, however, there is room for Lloyd to emerge.”
Lloyd was selected by the Packers in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, his career has been riddled by injuries — even dating back to his collegiate career at South Carolina. Lloyd missed his entire freshman year due to a torn ACL.
During his rookie season Lloyd battled through several soft tissue injuries, which limited him to just one game. He then missed the entire 2025 season with the same issues. When healthy, Lloyd could be electric with the ball in his hands, possessing big-play speed and good receiving skills.
Lloyd should be where he needs to mentally, but has to put his injury woes behind him. He’s off to a good start, having participated in all of Green Bay’s OTA and mandatory minicamp practices. Afterwards, Lloyd stated that he feels as good as ever.
“This is my first since I’ve been here — my first time that I went through OTAs fully healthy,” Lloyd said. “That’s a big accomplishment. Coming in my rookie year when I did OTAs, battled a little bit of stuff. Last year, I battled a little bit of stuff throughout the OTAs and didn’t really get reps. This year, I was able to actually finally work out the whole time, took no days off. It was pretty good. Really, really good.”
Latest on Packers RB Josh Jacobs
GettyPackers RB Josh Jacobs
Jacobs turned himself in to police back on May 26 after being faced with five counts related to domestic abuse. He was arrested and booked into Brown County Jail for the following:
- Criminal damage to property (domestic abuse)
- Disorderly conduct (domestic abuse)
- Battery (domestic abuse)
- Strangulation and suffocation
- Intimidation of a victim
Jacobs was released from custody and has not been formally charged at this time. He has vehemently denied all of the charges against him. Jacobs then went on to participate in Green Bay’s mandatory minicamp. There is still a long way to go in this process unfolding. The Packers are supporting Jacobs, but have to prepare for a scenario where they could be without him.
Packers Have New Name Emerging as Potential Breakout Player in 2026