Is Josh Jacobs playing this week? Latest on Raiders RB’s status

Las Vegas Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs has had injuries all season. The Pro Bowler is one of the best running backs in the NFL when fit, but he hasn't seen the Gridiron as much as he'd have liked in 2023.

Jacobs is a major doubt for the Raiders' must-win game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. Here's a look at his injury status, what happened to him and when to expect him back to action.

Josh Jacobs' injury update

According to the official Las Vegas Raiders website, Josh Jacobs is currently listed as doubtful heading into Week 17. It's important to note that players listed as doubtful hardly feature in NFL games, as teams tend to sit them out of fixtures.

If Jacobs misses the game against the Colts, then that means that he would have missed three consecutive games. Backup running back Zamir White will likely feature in his absence. White has been phenomenal in the past two games, with the dynamic runner putting up a stat line of 42 touches for 230 yards and a touchdown.

What happened to Josh Jacobs?

Jacobs is currently dealing with a quadriceps injury. The Alabama Crimson Tide alum suffered the injury in a December loss to the Minnesota Vikings and hasn't been on the field ever since.

According to Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce, the starting tailback will be a game-time decision on Sunday due to a quad injury:

"No need to rush it. I'm happy if he can go at one o'clock on Sunday," Pierce said.

However, most signs point to Jacobs sitting out of Week 17, and Zamir White again leads the backfield.

When will Josh Jacobs return?

Quadriceps injuries are notoriously difficult to predict, and they are rather painful. Jacobs is one of the toughest players out there, so it has to be serious for the Pro Bowler to potentially miss three consecutive games at the business end of the season.

The Las Vegas Raiders are currently in an unlikely playoff push, and one of the reasons for their recent success is that every player is locked in. Jacobs' backup Zamir White is playing great in his stead, so there's not much that Las Vegas is missing from their franchise running back. Hence, the Raiders will likely rest Jacobs for as long as possible.

Jacobs will likely return to action by Week 18, and that's on the condition that the Raiders remain in playoff contention.