Who Should I Start? Marshawn Lloyd or Will Shipley

Wednesday, January 8, 9:14 PM

Per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd (appendix, hamstring) has been transferred to injured reserve, and his season is officially over. The 24-year-old was moved to injured reserve from the reserve/non-football illness list after recovering from appendicitis but still experiencing issues with his hamstring. It's a lost season for the rookie, who appeared in one game -- Week 2 in the team's win over the Indianapolis Colts -- playing ten snaps. Lloyd injured his hamstring in the preseason but was healthy enough to be active for their meeting with the Colts. However, he'd suffer a severe ankle sprain that would keep him out of action -- and on IR -- for seven weeks. Upon his return to team activities, he re-aggravated the hamstring injury suffered in the summer but would need immediate surgery on his appendix. Though he could recover from his surgery, the hamstring ailment is still an issue. The Packers plan to send the first-year pro to the same institute that wideout Christian Watson (knee) attended last offseason in an effort to quell the hamstring issues he had since his rookie season. While Watson just had his year cut short by a knee injury, he did not miss a single contest because of his hamstring in 2024. We'll see Lloyd again in 2025.

Sunday, January 5, 11:40 AM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (concussion) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after he logged a full practice on Friday. Shipley has taken a backseat to Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell this season, but with Barkley inactive for Week 18, the rookie out of Clemson has a chance to earn increased opportunities. The 22-year-old has been mostly used as a ball carrier this season, rushing 20 times while failing to command a single target. He's likely headed for a change-of-pace role in Week 18, but with his exact involvement unknown, Shipley is tough to trust in fantasy football. He ranks as a low-end RB4 and should be avoided in most leagues.