Who Should I Start? Jahmyr Gibbs or Kaleb Johnson

Saturday, January 31, 5:09 AM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted another excellent season in 2025, recording 1,839 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches across 17 games played. While Gibbs' efficiency dropped slightly from his standout 2024 season, he still averaged 5.0 yards per carry and 5.7 yards per touch. The 23-year-old also set career-highs across the board as a receiver, finishing the year with 77 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns on 94 targets. Perhaps most importantly for Gibbs' future outlook, he fully moved past fellow Lions running back David Montgomery on the team's depth chart. After the team's Week 8 bye, Montgomery played fewer than 40% of Detroit's offensive snaps in eight out of 10 contests. As long as Gibbs can stay healthy, he profiles as an elite fantasy running back for both 2026 and beyond.

Friday, February 13, 7:42 AM

A third-round selection out of the University of Iowa in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson appeared to have an opportunity to play a significant role in his team's backfield as a rookie. Instead, the 22-year-old spent the 2025 season buried on the Steelers' depth chart and barely got a chance to take the field. Across 10 games played, Johnson recorded just 78 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches. Veteran Pittsburgh running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell dominated the team's backfield work throughout the year, as each back topped 180 touches and 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Gainwell is set to hit unrestricted free agency this spring, which could eliminate one obstacle from Johnson's pathway to playing time. However, even if the Steelers do not bring Gainwell back, Johnson did little as a rookie to convince Pittsburgh that it should not bring in another veteran to complement Warren in 2026. Johnson is still very young, and he could work his way back into the team's plans with a full offseason of development. However, his fantasy stock in dynasty formats has taken a major hit after his underwhelming rookie campaign.