Who Should I Start? Jahmyr Gibbs or James Cook

Monday, March 2, 6:26 AM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs already entered this offseason atop the depth chart. Now, he essentially has the backfield all to himself after the Lions traded veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. Gibbs played exactly 67% of the Lions' snaps last season, while Montgomery played 37.1%. A significant portion of the veteran's vacated snaps and touches will go to Gibbs, who has consistently impressed as a ball-carrier and receiver. He was the overall RB1 in full-PPR leagues in 2024, and he finished 2025 as the overall RB3. Through 17 games last season, he tallied 1,223 rushing yards, 77 catches, 616 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns. We would expect the Lions to sign or draft another running back who can offer a decent change of pace behind or alongside Gibbs, but there's a strong chance it won't be anyone of Montgomery's caliber. Therefore, this trade is great news for Gibbs, who is once again trending up. The young running back has a chance to be the overall RB1 in fantasy football leagues during 2026.