Gibbs is expected to be the Lions' passing-downs back while also splitting rushing duties with David Montgomery. Detroit was a running back stat-factory last year, leading the NFL with 27 RB rushing touchdowns while ranking fifth in RB carries and ninth in RB targets. That should continue. Gibbs was an elusive three-down player at Alabama, totaling 10 touchdowns in 12 games with raucous 6.1-yard rushing and 10.1-yard receiving averages last year. He profiles just like Jamaal Charles: a fast, lean runner with very good receiving skills. If D'Andre Swift averaged over 13 PPR points in each of his first three years in Detroit, Gibbs should too -- and with the chance at seeing more touches. Someone in every seasonal draft will take Gibbs before 60th overall, maybe as high as 40th overall, with the hope he accomplishes more than any Lions running back has since Barry Sanders.
Gibbs rushed 17 times for 80 yards in Sunday's 20-6 win over the Falcons. He also caught one of two targets for two yards.
Gibbs drew his first start with David Montgomery (thigh) sidelined and turned in his most productive performance yet. Although he made minimal impact as a pass catcher, Gibbs' output on the ground was helped by a long rush of 21 yards. Given his dynamic skill set, though, Gibbs likely still hasn't enjoyed his true breakout. With a quick turnaround ahead of Week 4's visit to Green Bay on Thursday night, Montgomery could remain sidelined or limited, which would help Gibbs' outlook as the lead tailback again.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Should get bulk of carries Sunday
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Gibbs is expected to receive the majority of the snaps out of the backfield in Sunday's game against the Falcons, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The report doesn't come as a major surprise, given that the Lions' lead option on the ground through the team's first two games -- David Montgomery (thigh) -- is listed as doubtful and thus in line to miss the Week 3 contest. Gibbs has made slightly more noise in the passing game than on the ground thus far during his rookie season, recording nine catches for 57 yards on nine targets and carrying 14 times for 59 yards. While he should remain the Lions' top pass-catching back throughout his rookie season, Gibbs' profile in the ground attack should noticeably expand this week with Montgomery out of the mix. However, Pelissero notes that the Lions still plan to keep the other two healthy backs on the roster -- Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight -- involved, so Gibbs may not be handed a true workhorse role Sunday. Still, Gibbs looks like he'll have his best opportunity to date to produce for fantasy managers.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Increased usage on tap
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Gibbs could see an increased workload Sunday against Seattle, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports. "First game out of the gate, we really didn't want to overload any of those [rookies]," head coach Dan Campbell said after the Lions' season-opening win over the Chiefs. "And now they've got that one under their belt, so for Gibbs, he'll begin to get more touches now."
David Montgomery drew the starting nod at running back in Week 1 against Kansas City and went on to nearly triple Gibbs in both offensive snaps and rush attempts. The rookie was much more efficient, though, averaging six yards per rush (compared to 3.5 for Montgomery) while leading all running backs across the league in broken tackles (six), despite his light workload. While Montgomery's presence could remain a problem for his fantasy production all season long -- especially as it relates to getting goal-line carries -- Gibbs should become a more impactful fantasy asset as his usage increases.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Logs only nine touches
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Gibbs rushed seven times for 42 yards while securing both of his targets for 18 yards during Thursday's 21-20 win over Kansas City.
While this wasn't the volume fantasy managers wanted for Gibbs, the Lions coaching staff did publicly state that the rookie might not see a full workload out of the gate. With that said, even with reduced expectations it was still a surprise to see him handle 14 less carries than David Montgomery, with Gibbs only seeing two looks in the passing game and no carries near the goal line. While he should see more work as the season unfolds, the electric playmaker may need to rely on extreme efficiency to put up big stats in the meantime. Up next is a matchup against Seattle in Week 2.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: May see reduced workload
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that Gibbs may not see a full workload in the season opener Thursday against Kansas City, Michele Steele of ESPN.com reports.
Campbell noted that the Lions want to be "smart" with Gibbs' usage in his NFL debut with an eye toward keeping the rookie running back healthy for the full 17-game season. While any work taken off Gibbs' plate likely means more action for David Montgomery, a lighter load doesn't necessarily preclude Gibbs from seeing enough high-value touches in the red zone and in the passing game to pay off in fantasy lineups. Not only has offensive coordinator Ben Johnson recently made headlines by saying that Detroit could utilize Gibbs in creative ways this season, but Johnson also mentioned how "vertical threats don't have to be receivers, so that's one thing to watch out for with Gibbs." With Jameson Williams (suspension) out for the first six games of the season, Gibbs could factor prominently into a passing game that currently has the likes of Marvin Jones, Josh Reynolds, and Kalif Raymond working as the top perimeter receivers alongside slot standout Amon-Ra St. Brown.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: To be deployed creatively
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Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said the Lions will use Gibbs in "some ways that people don't quite think we might," Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
The 12th overall pick figures to see a mix of carries and targets when the Lions face the Chiefs on Thursday, splitting backfield snaps with David Montgomery behind a veteran offensive line that's returning five starters. The Lions may run some plays with both backs on the field, and Gibbs could see targets out wide or in the slot from empty looks even when he's the only RB on the field. The workload split between Gibbs and Montgomery is probably the top fantasy storyline to monitor for Thursday's season opener in Kansas City.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Not expected to play Saturday
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Gibbs is among the key players not expected to see action in Saturday's preseason game against the Jaguars, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.
The report suggests that the majority of the Lions' starters won't play Saturday in a game that will feature Teddy Bridgewater as the team's starting QB. In last Friday's preseason opener against the Giants, Gibbs carried six times for 19 yards and caught his only target for 18 yards while logging 18 snaps on offense.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Seven touches in NFL debut
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Gibbs rushed six times for 19 yards and caught his only target for 18 yards in Friday's 21-16 preseason win over the Giants.
Gibbs was viewed as a reach when the Lions picked him 12th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, but at least Detroit should give the rookie out of Alabama plenty of touches to justify the selection. He figures to be a direct replacement for D'Andre Swift, whom the Lions traded away after drafting Gibbs. The shifty running back showed off his pass-catching skills on an 18-yard reception to move the chains on Detroit's third possession, but Gibbs will need to be more efficient on the ground moving forward to compete with David Montgomery for early-down work.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Part of two-headed monster
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Coach Dan Campbell envisions a "two-headed monster" in the backfield with Gibbs and David Montgomery, ESPN.com's Eric Woodyard reports.
Campbell is merely confirming what was made obvious by Detroit's offseason moves. The Lions let Jamaal Williams walk and later traded D'Andre Swift, but only after signing Montgomery to a three-year, $18 million contract ($8.75 million guaranteed) and drafting Gibbs at No. 12 overall. While Montgomery is a capable pass catcher in his own right, Campbell said he views Gibbs as the guy who "carries the scalpel" and "can hurt you in the pass game." The Lions head coach also mentioned his previous experience on teams that utilized two running backs, including the Giants with Ron Dayne / Tiki Barber and the Saints with Mark Ingram / Alvin Kamara. The latter is a reasonable comparison for Montgomery/Gibbs, though presumably in an offense with less cumulative production up for grabs given that Jared Goff is no Drew Brees. Then again, Williams and Swift combined for over 2,000 scrimmage yards and 25 TDs last year, and that was with Swift missing three games and third-stringer Justin Jackson adding 281 total yards and two TDs of his own. Montgomery and Gibbs are probably a better real-life duo than Williams/Swift, with the rookie being the upside play for fantasy thanks to his combination of speed, receiving skills and draft capital.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Bothered by ankle at rookie camp
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Gibbs suffered a minor ankle injury Friday and won't practice Saturday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
It's only rookie minicamp at this point, with the first set of OTAs coming May 23-25. Gibbs should be a big part of Detroit's offense from the jump after he and Bijan Robinson became the first RBs since 2018 to get drafted in the first half of the first round. The Lions traded D'Andre Swift to Philadelphia two days later, completing an offseason backfield makeover in which they swapped out Swift and Jamaal Williams (Saints) for Gibbs and David Montgomery. It's certainly an upgrade in terms of athleticism, with Gibbs offering 4.36 speed and double-threat college production (2,132 rushing yards and 1,212 receiving yards in three seasons), while Montgomery profiles as a younger and more versatile version of Williams.
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Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs: Goes to Detroit 12th overall
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The Lions selected Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 12th overall.
Backfield depth is nice, but with David Montgomery signed in free agency it's difficult to see how the Lions could make room for both Gibbs and D'Andre Swift in the remaining reps. Gibbs (5-foot-9, 199 pounds) is one of the most talented pass catchers the NFL is likely to see at the running back position, and with 4.36 speed the Alabama/Georgia Tech product is a threat to go the distance from any part of the field. In short, Gibbs is the kind of talent you make room for, and it's just about impossible to imagine the Lions leaving him on the bench very much. While his light frame makes Gibbs unlikely to log many 20-carry games, his pass-catching ability should make him a fantasy standout even on modest rushing volume.
