Who Should I Start? Jahmyr Gibbs or Tyjae Spears

Monday, December 15, 11:05 AM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted an underwhelming performance in his team's Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, recording 58 scrimmage yards and zero touchdowns on 17 touches. The 23-year-old's 3.4 yards per touch against Los Angeles was his third-worst mark of the season and his worst since Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. On the bright side, Gibbs continues to be a featured player in the Lions' passing game. He saw seven targets in Week 15 and has earned 38 targets across five games since Detroit tight end Sam LaPorta (back) was placed on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Gibbs also out-snapped fellow Lions running back David Montgomery 52 to 18 in Week 15, marking the fifth straight game where Gibbs has logged at least 20 more snaps than his backfield running mate. Despite the frustrating showing against the Rams, Gibbs remains a must-start fantasy running back in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Saturday, December 13, 10:54 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears remains firmly on the fantasy radar as an RB3/flex option in full-PPR leagues ahead of Sunday's Week 15 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. Spears lost key volume to Tony Pollard (25 carries, 161 yards, two touchdowns) last week, but he still maintained a sizable role on passing downs. He has at least three targets in all eight of his games this season, and he's averaging an impressive 4.3 catches per game over the last four weeks. Spears' impressive pass-catching volume has allowed him to rank as the overall RB34 in fantasy points per game since Week 6 (minimum four games played). This week, he takes on a 49ers defense that has struggled against pass-catching backs. Specifically, the Niners have allowed the most catches, eighth-most receiving yards, and eighth-most receiving touchdowns to opposing running backs in 2025. While Pollard has generated most of the buzz after last week's big game, Spears should be the name to get excited about in this backfield, given how often pass-catching backs excel against this 49ers run defense. Spears should be viewed as a strong RB3/flex option in Week 15.