Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Brian Robinson Jr.

Tuesday, February 24, 4:57 PM

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said that he's "been in touch" with running back David Montgomery and his agent and that they've had "healthy dialogue," according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. "Those conversations are still fluid, and we'll just see how it goes," Holmes said during the NFL combine. Releasing the 28-year-old would save the team $3.5 million. Monty's role has shrunk in each of the last two years, and he really saw his involvement evaporate down the stretch in 2025. In 17 games played, the former third-rounder by the Chicago Bears in 2019 out of Iowa State had a career-low 158 carries for a career-low 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He added 24 catches for 192 scoreless yards as a receiver. Montgomery might be more of a distant No. 2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs in 2026 if he sticks around, but a RB-needy team might be willing to trade for him this offseason.

Thursday, February 12, 9:02 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. spent all of 2025 as the handcuff behind Christian McCaffrey. Now, he'll hit free agency with an opportunity to find a larger role elsewhere. We can't rule out a return to San Francisco, but given that Robinson is a three-time 700-yard rusher, he'll presumably get offers from teams looking to make him their 1B running back, rather than a true backup. Robinson's lone season on the West Coast resulted in a modest 400 rushing yards, 25 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. From a fantasy perspective, his 2026 outlook will heavily depend on where he ends up. He was a top-30 fantasy running back with the Commanders in both 2023 and 2024, so he could get back onto the weekly flex radar if he splits touches with another running back in an average or above-average offense.