Honestly, people love to talk about the "devaluation" of the running back, but then you look at josh jacobs career stats and realize some guys just break the mold. It is January 2026, and we’ve just watched another season where Jacobs basically willed his way through a heavy workload. He’s now 27. In NFL running back years, that’s supposedly middle-aged, yet he’s still putting up numbers that make fantasy managers drool and opposing defensive coordinators lose sleep.
The guy has been a workhorse since he stepped onto the field for the Raiders in 2019. Now that he’s firmly entrenched in the Green Bay Packers’ backfield, his career arc has taken a fascinating turn. It isn't just about the rushing yards; it’s about the sheer volume of hits he takes and keeps coming back from.
The Raw Numbers: Breaking Down Josh Jacobs Career Stats
If you just look at the box score, you see a guy who has consistently hovered around or above that 1,000-yard mark. But the nuance is in the efficiency. Through the end of the 2025 regular season, Jacobs has racked up 7,803 rushing yards on 1,840 carries. That’s a career average of about 4.2 yards per carry.
Some critics point to his 2023 season as a "down" year. He only had 805 yards in 13 games. But you’ve gotta look at the context. The Raiders' offense was a mess that year. Once he got to Green Bay in 2024, he exploded again. He put up 1,329 rushing yards and a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns in his first year with the Packers. That 2024 season was a statement. It proved that when he’s in a functional system, he’s still a top-three back in this league.
2025 was a bit more of a grind. He finished with 929 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games. His average dipped to 3.97 yards per carry, mostly because he was battling a nagging knee injury for the last month of the season. Even so, he’s found the end zone 74 times on the ground in his career. That is elite production.
More Than Just a Power Back
A lot of folks forget that Josh Jacobs is actually a very reliable receiver. It’s a part of his game that developed late but became essential. He’s caught 269 passes for 2,072 yards over his seven seasons.
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In 2021 and 2022, he was basically a safety valve for Derek Carr, catching over 50 balls each year. Even in Green Bay’s more spread-out offense, he’s stayed relevant in the passing game, hauling in 36 catches in both 2024 and 2025. He doesn't have a ton of receiving touchdowns—only 2 in his entire career—but he moves the chains. That’s what the Packers pay him for.
Why 2022 Was the Peak (So Far)
You can't talk about josh jacobs career stats without mentioning the 2022 season. That was his "contract year" masterpiece. He led the entire NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards. He also led the league in touches (393) and total yards from scrimmage (2,053).
"He was the first Raider since Marcus Allen in 1985 to go over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. That's legendary company."
He won the inaugural Jim Brown Award that year. He was a First-team All-Pro. He was essentially the entire Las Vegas offense. But that heavy workload is a double-edged sword. It proved he could do it, but it also took a toll on his body that we started to see in 2023.
The Durability Question
Is he "injury-prone"? It's a label fans love to throw around. Looking at the logs, Jacobs has played 105 out of a possible 115 regular-season games. That’s actually remarkably durable for a guy who runs as hard as he does. He’s had ankle issues, quad strains, and most recently, that knee injury in late 2025.
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But he plays through stuff. In 2022, he was "questionable" almost every single week with a calf or quad issue, then he'd go out and run for 140 yards. That’s the "Bama" in him. He’s used to the grind.
How the Move to Green Bay Changed Everything
When Jacobs signed that 4-year, $48 million contract with Green Bay in 2024, the league was shocked. Most people thought the Packers would stick with Aaron Jones or go younger. Instead, they went for the hammer.
The fit has been better than expected. In Vegas, he often faced eight-man boxes because teams didn't fear the Raiders' passing game. In Green Bay, with Jordan Love under center, defenses can't just sell out to stop the run. This is why his touchdown numbers spiked in 2024. He’s getting more looks in the red zone where the defense is spread thin.
Contract Realities and the Future
Jacobs is scheduled to earn a base salary of $10.2 million in 2026. His cap hit jumps to $14.6 million. For a running back entering his age-28 season, that’s a big number.
The Packers have a "potential out" in his contract this offseason, but with 28 total touchdowns over the last two years, it’s hard to imagine them letting him walk. He’s become the heartbeat of that locker room. He’s the guy they give the ball to when they need to kill the clock in the fourth quarter.
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What People Get Wrong About Jacobs
Most fans think he’s just a "plodder"—a guy who gets what is blocked and nothing more. The stats say otherwise. In 2024, he had over 1,000 yards after contact. He’s consistently near the top of the league in broken tackles.
He’s not a burner like Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey. He won't outrun a secondary for 80 yards very often. But he will make the first linebacker miss and then punish the safety who tries to bring him down. That's where his value lies. It’s the "hidden" yardage that doesn't always show up in a highlight reel but keeps the chains moving.
The Alabama Pedigree
Coming out of Alabama, he actually didn't have a lot of "tread" taken off his tires. He shared the backfield with Damien Harris and Najee Harris. He only had 251 carries in three years of college. That lack of early-career usage is probably why he’s still performing at a high level while other backs from his draft class are starting to fade.
Key Takeaways from the Career Log:
- Rushing Titles: 1 (2022)
- Pro Bowls: 3 (2020, 2022, 2024)
- All-Pro: 1 (First-team in 2022)
- Touchdown Machine: Has recorded 12+ rushing TDs in four different seasons (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025).
- Dual-Threat: Over 2,000 career receiving yards.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are tracking josh jacobs career stats for fantasy or just general football knowledge, keep an eye on his "Success Rate." Even when his yards per carry looks low (like the 3.97 in 2025), his success rate—the ability to get 40% of required yards on 1st down, 60% on 2nd, and 100% on 3rd—remains high.
Next Steps for Evaluating Jacobs in 2026:
- Monitor the Knee: Check the injury reports throughout the 2026 offseason. If he's 100% by training camp, expect another 1,100+ yard season.
- Watch the Red Zone Usage: The Packers' scheme relies on him heavily inside the 10-yard line. If they draft a power back, his touchdown upside might take a hit.
- Career Milestones: He is currently 2,197 yards away from the 10,000-yard club. At his current pace, he could hit that late in the 2027 season if he stays healthy.
The bottom line? Josh Jacobs is a throwback. He’s one of the last true "bell-cow" backs in a league that has moved toward committees. Whether he's wearing Silver and Black or Green and Gold, the production is undeniable.