With questions looming in the backfield, running back Chris Brooks emerges as a vital insurance policy for the Green Bay Packers' high-stakes 2026 Super Bowl run.
We're officially 42 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 42, we have running back Chris Brooks
Ranking the Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 42, Chris Brooks
Aug 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks (30) rushes with the football during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn ImagesChris Brooks is technically the RB3 on this team behind Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd, but there is a world in which he ends up taking significant snaps in 2026.
In an ideal world, he's a great blocking running back who can be used situationally as a running back once or twice a game. Lloyd has zero history of being able to stay healthy, though, and Jacobs still has a potential legal issue hanging over his head due to an open domestic abuse investigation. Jacobs is also a bit injury-prone himself.
That makes Brooks a massive part of the Packers' plan in 2026, because he at the very least brings consistency to the table. That's why the Packers gave him a two-year, $4.85 million contract extension this offseason.
Even if he does remain just the RB3, which is the best case scenario, he's a big-time player on special teams for the Pack and he's one of the unsung heroes of this team.
2025 Synopsis:
Brooks rushed 27 times for 106 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry last season. He also caught 13 passes for 91 yards, averaging 7.0 yards per catch. Of his 433 snaps last season, 230 came on special teams. He was the third-most-used special teams player on the team.
Notable Quotables:
"There's nothing he can't do obviously as a runner but certainly the passing game, as well. He's a hell of a protector. He's got good hands out of the backfield. We've put him many times running those choice routes out of the backfield. There's nothing he can't do." - Matt LaFleur
Projected Role in 2026:
Brooks will (hopefully) start the season as the RB3 for this team and he'll be a main contributor on special teams. Anything more than that spells bad news for either Lloyd or Jacobs.
Previous Rankings:
