Should I Start Jahmyr Gibbs?

Saturday, September 12, 6:05 AM

Entering 2026, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was widely viewed as the consensus 1.01 in fantasy drafts. The 24-year-old had a monster year in 2025, recording 1,839 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches across 17 games. Gibbs may be in line for an even larger role in the Lions' offense this season. The team traded away veteran running back David Montgomery over the offseason, and replacement RB2 Isiah Pacheco (knee, back) is on Injured Reserve to open 2026. In Week 1, Gibbs and the Lions will host the New Orleans Saints. The Saints fielded a decent run defense in 2025, allowing the sixth-fewest total rushing touchdowns (12) and ranking 19th in the NFL in total rushing yards allowed (2,050). However, New Orleans lost a big piece of its defensive line earlier this summer when defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (knee) went down with a torn ACL. Gibbs should see plenty of touches as both a rusher and a receiver in Week 1 and profiles as a high-end RB1 option for fantasy managers against the Saints.