Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Brandon Aiyuk

Saturday, November 22, 1:09 AM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery was held in check by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11, recording 27 rushing yards on just six carries. Montgomery has now failed to score a touchdown in four out of his last five games, cracking 45 rushing yards just once in that span. While there's no question Montgomery has taken a backseat to Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs this season, there could be reason for optimism around Montgomery's outlook for Week 12 against the New York Giants. Through 11 weeks, New York is allowing the most yards per carry (5.5) to opposing running backs in the NFL. The Giants have also given up 15 rushing touchdowns, tied for second-most among NFL defenses. If there's a game for Montgomery to rediscover his touchdown-scoring ways, it could be against New York. Fantasy managers should view him as a solid RB2 option in Week 12.

Sunday, November 23, 11:55 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) continues to recover from last year's ACL injury, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Aiyuk is "close to being cleared" for a return. The receiver's 21-day practice window hasn't been opened yet, but the 49ers remain hopeful that he'll get back on the field in the near future. San Francisco's receiving corps could use the help as Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have been underwhelming, combining for 53 catches, 705 yards, and three touchdowns while managing their respective injuries. Aiyuk could become an instant WR2 or WR3 in fantasy football upon his return, but an exact timetable for his activation remains unclear. This isn't the only news story we've seen about Aiyuk this week, though. A few days ago, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic reported that Aiyuk and the Niners were headed for a "stunning split" after the team voided his 2026 guarantees for a failure to meet contractual obligations, creating a clear path to his release next offseason. While Russini and Silver wrote that Aiyuk has likely played his final game for the 49ers, Garafolo's report seems to clarify that he'll have a good chance to get back on the field in 2025 before the team makes a decision on his future during the offseason.