Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Omarion Hampton

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, May 19, 3:26 PM

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reports that first-round rookie running back Omarion Hampton has agreed to a four-year, $17.77 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. The contract includes a $9.56 million signing bonus. Hampton and backfield mate Najee Harris are set to split time in Jim Harbaugh's offense, which caps the former Tar Heel's immediate upside. Still, his long-term outlook is looking quite rosy. Like Harris, the 22-year-old is a powerful, bruising back with a three-down skill set, though he possesses much more explosiveness than the veteran. Even if Hampton starts the season off behind his teammate in carries, it wouldn't be surprising to see him even out the workload over the course of the season -- if not outright taking the job if he adjusts quickly enough.