Who Should I Start? Derrick Henry or David Montgomery

Friday, September 13, 5:30 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is primed for a bigger performance entering Week 2 after a promising first drive to his Ravens tenure led to fewer opportunities as the game went on. The veteran back didn't quite perform up to expectations despite scoring a touchdown in the beginning of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He only finished with 46 yards on 13 yards while Lamar Jackson called his own number 16 times and gained 122 yards in comparison. Now, Henry sets his sights on the Las Vegas Raiders who just gave up 135 yards and a score to J.K. Dobbins in Week 1. A lot of Dobbins' yards were untouched at that. Henry will likely be fed early and often again, and he'll make the Raiders defense pay a lot like Dobbins. Henry remains in RB1 territory heading into this matchup.

Saturday, September 14, 3:48 PM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery will look to continue his strong performance in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who boast a tough run defense. In Week 1, Montgomery impressed with 91 rushing yards on 17 attempts, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, and scored the game-winning touchdown. He again led in touches over Jahmyr Gibbs, with a 20-15 split, though Gibbs scored earlier in the game on a rare goal-line carry. The Buccaneers' defense is anchored by elite run-stopper Vita Vea, and only seven running backs surpassed 60 rushing yards against Tampa Bay last season, with three needing at least 20 carries to do so. Given the strength of the Buccaneers' run defense, the Lions will likely implement a pass-heavy game plan targeting Tampa Bay's banged-up secondary. While it's promising that quarterback Jayden Daniels and running back Brian Robinson found success on the ground against the Buccaneers last week, Montgomery may find it challenging to replicate such a performance. As a running back who isn't heavily involved in the passing game, Montgomery should be considered a low-end RB2 or Flex option. Start him with caution and manage expectations, given the difficult matchup.