Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Quinshon Judkins

Thursday, December 25, 3:30 PM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (illness) will be active for Thursday's road bout with the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day, per the team. The veteran appeared on Detroit's practice report on Tuesday, missing the session due to illness. After logging a limited practice on Wednesday, it would seem Montgomery will be able to play anyway, and figures to assume his typical allotment of snaps behind teammate Jahmyr Gibbs as the Lions attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive. Notably, the seventh-year pro has seen his snap count steadily dwindle since Week 11, dropping under 20 plays in each of his last three appearances, compared with just once over the season's first 13 weeks. Correlatively, he'll offer little more than flex appeal with Gibbs dominating time and touches in the backfield.

Tuesday, December 23, 4:08 PM

Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins (leg, ankle) underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair his fractured fibula and dislocated ankle, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Judkins suffered the injuries in Week 16 and has now been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2025 season. Across 14 games, the 22-year-old recorded 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 230 carries. Judkins also hauled in 26 receptions for 171 yards on 36 targets. While Judkins' rookie season is done, he looks like the feature back of the future in Cleveland, provided he can make a full recovery from this most recent setback. With Judkins sidelined, the Browns will likely turn to the running back combination of Dylan Sampson (hand), Raheim Sanders, and Trayveon Williams. Sampson has missed each of the last two weeks with calf and hand injuries, but he could be the team's lead back if he can return in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.