Packers place Chris Brooks on injured reserve with an ankle injury

The Green Bay Packers placed running back Chris Brooks on injured reserve Saturday afternoon. The team announced the move on its official account, and ESPN's Adam Schefter posted it minutes later.

What is confirmed

Brooks has been dealing with an ankle injury all week. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, and coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday that the ankle would keep him out of that session.

On Thursday, Green Bay signed Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. That was the first clear sign Brooks would miss Sunday's home game against the Chicago Bears. Saturday's IR move goes a step further. Under NFL rules, a player placed on injured reserve must miss at least four games before he can return.

The team has not said how long it expects Brooks to be out beyond that minimum.

Who carries the load

With Brooks gone, the available backs are Kaleb Johnson, MarShawn Lloyd and Strong. Pro Football Talk listed those three as Green Bay's healthy options earlier in the week.

None of them has a settled share of the work yet. Strong only joined the active roster Thursday, so Sunday against Chicago will be the first real look at how LaFleur splits the snaps.

What RSO owners should do

If Brooks is on your roster, move him to an IR slot if your league has one. He was never likely to play Sunday, so this mostly frees the roster spot for the next month.

In contract leagues, there is no reason to cut him over a four-game absence unless you need the space. His value depended on carving out a role in a crowded room, and that role will look different when he comes back.

Johnson and Lloyd are the names to check on waivers first, with Strong as a deeper add. Watch the snap counts against the Bears on Sunday before you commit a long contract or a big bid to any of them.