Raiders running back Josh Jacobs fooled fantasy football players with pregame message
"A lot of hot fantasy owners," Jacobs wrote in a social media post.
With fantasy football playoffs getting underway in Week 14 of the NFL’s regular season, one of the league’s premier running backs decided to have some fun at the expense of managers who have him on their teams.
Josh Jacobs, the Raiders’ 2019 first-round pick and leading rusher, missed the team’s win over the Jets last week due to an ankle injury. Because of his value in fantasy terms (the 22-year-old entered the day with nine rushing touchdowns over the course of the season), many were hoping to hear positive updates on his status for the pivotal afternoon matchup with the Colts.
Early Sunday morning, it appeared Jacobs was on track to play, as NFL insider Ian Rapoport noted:
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (ankle) is expected back after missing last week, source said. He’s nearly at full strength. Meanwhile, S Johnathan Abram (knee) should also be good to go.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 13, 2020
Yet after the 1 p.m. kickoffs had occurred, and a full slate of afternoon games were underway (carrying fantasy-related implications), Jacobs took to his Instagram story to inform fans he was out.
“Sorry guys I’m not playing today,” wrote Jacobs.
Despite being active, #Raiders RB Josh Jacobs puts on Instagram that he’s not playing today. pic.twitter.com/CRowLndxe4
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 13, 2020
He followed up with another sentence, apparently in acknowledgement of the damage he was doing to fantasy leagues.
“A lot of hot fantasy owners,” Jacobs wrote.
Yet when it came time for the Raiders to take the field, Jacobs was not only out there in uniform warming up with his teammates, but was “active,” as Las Vegas reporter Vincent Bonsignore noted:
Josh Jacobs dressed out, running around, being active as part of @Raiders pregame
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) December 13, 2020
Quickly it became obvious that Jacobs might have been fooling the many nervous fantasy players watching his status for the game.
Josh Jacobs might have been trolling the fantasy community…. https://t.co/sDQ8OHDgrQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 13, 2020
In the end, Jacobs ran 13 times for 49 yards in a 44-27 loss to Indianapolis, adding three catches for 25 yards.
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