Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or D.K. Metcalf

Tuesday, January 14, 4:35 PM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) was listed as a full participant in the team's first practice of the week on Tuesday. An MCL sprain to his right knee kept Montgomery out for the final three games of the regular season, and he had an extra week to heal up with the Lions on bye during the wild-card round of the playoffs last weekend. With the 27-year-old back to a full-go in practice, even though it was merely a walkthrough on Tuesday, he's on track to be available this Saturday in the Divisional Round against the visiting Washington Commanders. It's good news for the Lions offense for sure, but fantasy managers in playoff leagues should be hesitant to rely on Monty, who could have a reduced role alongside Jahmyr Gibbs in his first game back. In 14 games before his knee injury in 2024, Montgomery had 185 rushing attempts for 775 yards and 12 TDs and also caught 36 passes for 341 yards.

Sunday, January 5, 8:25 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams. Metcalf was tied for second on the team in targets with five on Sunday. Metcalf's three receptions were still concerning considering he has not caught more than four passes since Week 11. Metcalf will finish the season eight yards shy of the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career. Metcalf began 2024 on fire, but he did not have the same production after returning from an MCL sprain halfway through the season. With Seattle headed into their offseason after missing the playoffs, they will look to retool their roster. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Seattle's personnel moves and the evolution of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Hopefully, Metcalf can bounce back for fantasy managers in 2025.