Raiders' Josh Jacobs Won't Play vs. Steelers Because of Toe, Ankle Injuries

Las Vegas Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs will miss Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as he continues to deal with toe and ankle injuries.

Jacobs, 23, has emerged as one of the best running backs in the NFL after just two seasons. As a rookie, he posted 1,150 rushing yards and seven scores in 13 games, adding 20 catches for 166 yards.

He didn't let up in 2020, with 1,065 rushing yards and 12 scores in 15 contests to go along with 33 catches for 238 yards. That earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, with the expectation it won't be his last. 

The Raiders had a pretty interesting offseason around Jacobs, electing to sign Kenyan Drake to a two-year, $11 million contract while trading center Rodney Hudson, guard Gabe Jackson tackle Trent Brown. The changes, especially to the offensive line, were a bit curious.

But Jacobs told Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal in June that he came around to the moves:

"I won't lie—when [the changes] first happened with [the line]—I was like 'Damn, what are we doing?' But then I saw who we picked up and watched game film and saw them practice and how they were working, I was like, 'We're going to be nice.'

"I've known [Drake] forever since the Alabama days when he would come back and train with me all the time. His game speaks for itself—very versatile, can play in the slot, very good in open space. He's going to be a great addition."

Now those moves will be further tested as Drake gets set to handle a heavy workload in Week 2.