Should You Draft Jahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery In Fantasy Football?
The Detroit Lions were the surprise team of the NFL in 2022, and Head Coach Dan Campbell will have his team ready to take the next step in 2023. The Lions were a scrappy team last year, and they were only one win away from the NFC playoffs. A big reason for that was the relationship between Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson and quarterback Jared Goff. It seemed the two of them were on the same page every week and that led to a very explosive offense last year. The Lions ranked fourth in yards per game with an average of 380 yards per game and fifth in total points with an average of 26.6 points per game.
Those averages and the relationship with his players led coach Johnson to receive a couple of head coaching interviews this offseason, but fortunately for Detroit, he decided to return to the Lions in 2023. The team made a couple of key selections during the 2023 NFL Draft to help make the offense even more explosive with Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta. Expectations are high for the Lions this year, so let’s take a closer look at the Lions' fantasy football potential this year.
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Fantasy Football Rookie to Watch: RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Jahmyr Gibbs was taken with the 12th overall pick by the Lions in the 2023 draft for a reason, and that is because they believe he is going to be an explosive playmaker. He might not get as many carries as David Montgomery, but the explosive receiving weapon will have more receptions and more total yards by the end of the season. Gibbs, a talented receiver, will look to take on the D’Andre Swift role from prior seasons, but I believe he will see more touches than Swift did in prior seasons. The Lions' front office and coaching staff were so excited on draft night when he fell to them at No. 12 overall that he should be used in a variety of different ways this season.
Key Free Agent Acquisition: RB David Montgomery
The Lions decided to let fan favorite and touchdown vulture Jamaal Williams leave via free agency so they could sign David Montgomery to a three-year $18 million dollar contract with $8.75 million dollars guaranteed. According to coach Campbell, Montgomery has become the heart and soul of the team during training camp. He should fit in well as a between-the-tackles runner to complement Gibbs. He will quickly become a fan favorite with his strong work ethic and hard-nosed style of running the football. I can easily see Montgomery gaining over 1,000 yards and scoring at least six touchdowns this season.
Fantasy Football Sleeper: TE Sam LaPorta
After trading TJ Hockenson at the trade deadline last year, the Lions decided to draft Sam LaPorta with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Lions like to use the tight end in the passing game, and I believe LaPorta will be targeted often by Jared Goff this season. The rest of the tight end depth chart includes Brock Wright and James Mitchell, neither of whom is as talented as LaPorta. If you are looking for a tight end in Rounds 11 to 13 of your drafts this year, then LaPorta would be a guy I would try to get.
Fantasy Football Bust: WR Jameson Williams
Jameson Williams was suspended six games for gambling this offseason, and now he is dealing with a hamstring injury in the preseason. I was high on Williams this offseason prior to the suspension, but now, with the injury and the reports coming out of Lions training camp that he does not seem to be developing as quickly as the team would like, I am dropping him down my draft board. He might come back after the suspension and be the receiver the Lions thought they were getting when they took him in the first round of the 2022 draft, but I am not counting on it.
Bold Prediction: WR Josh Reynolds Finishes the Season as a Top 60 Wide Receiver in PPR Scoring.
Josh Reynolds has an opportunity to be the starter opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown to start this season. Since Jameson Williams will be suspended for six games to start the season and Marvin Jones is slowing down at 33 years old, the opportunity is there for Reynolds to be the Lions' number-two receiver for at least the first six games of the season. He already has a strong rapport with Jared Goff from their time with the LA Rams and last season with the Lions. The Lions' defense has made some upgrades this offseason, but I still believe there will be quite a few shootouts in Detroit, which will certainly benefit Reynolds' production this season. He is currently going undrafted in most leagues, but is worth at least placing on your watch list to see how he starts the season.
