Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Jaylen Warren

Sunday, January 19, 12:12 AM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery rushed seven times for 28 yards during Saturday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also threw a pass for 20 yards. Montgomery returned from a multi-week absence caused by a knee injury. As expected, he took a backseat to Jahmyr Gibbs, who had twice as many carries and also saw a whopping 11 targets. Montgomery's ability to convert in short-yardage situations makes him a special running back, but there's no denying that he lacks the shiftiness, receiving skills, and big-play upside of Gibbs. Nevertheless, the two continue to form the best running back duo in the NFL. Heading into 2025, Montgomery will have standalone value as a high-end RB3, and he'll also be a premier handcuff option in case Gibbs gets hurt.

Monday, June 16, 3:13 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren recently noted via the team's website that he adjusted his training this offseason in anticipation of handling a larger workload in 2025. "I approached this offseason differently," said Warren. "I did a lot more things for longevity-wise...like they say, the best ability is availability." The Oklahoma State product enters his fourth season with the team and projects as the lead back for the first time in his career with former teammate Najee Harris' departure to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, he isn't the only show in town. Warren should play a substantial role in the backfield regarding touches, but rookie Kaleb Johnson projects to eventually fill the role vacated by Harris due to his similar frame. That isn't to say he'll overtake Warren, but it could mean he handles goal-line touches in time. Expect Warren to see an uptick in carries from previous seasons and play a significant role on third downs and passing situations.