Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs shocked fantasy football managers by appearing on the injury report late this week.
This late addition has fantasy managers worried about his status for this week. Will Gibbs play today? And if so, what is his fantasy outlook for today?
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Is Jahmyr Gibbs Going To Play Week 5?
Gibbs was not listed on the Lions’ injury report on Wednesday or Thursday this week but appeared on the Friday report with a hamstring injury.
This is a surprising addition because it is unusual for a player to pop up on the injury report this late into the week and assume a full workload on game day.
Adam Schefter of ESPN gave an update Saturday afternoon, saying, “The Lions downgraded RB Jahmyr Gibbs to doubtful for Sunday’s game vs. the Panthers.”
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Therefore, how should we view Gibbs if he plays today in terms of his fantasy outlook?
Potential Fantasy Options If Gibbs Is Out Include Breece Hall, Alvin Kamara, and Joe Mixon
Gibbs is currently being ranked as the RB27 in our Consensus Rankings. Gibbs has failed to impress so far this season in the Lions’ offense.
Also, David Montgomery seems to have the precious Jamaal Williams role from last season locked down. It is hard to see Gibbs’ fantasy upside at the moment.
On Thursday Night Football last week, Montgomery played 70% of the snaps, while Gibbs only played 36% of the snaps. Montgomery also got all eight of the high-value touches inside the 10-yard line last week. Therefore, for the moment, Gibbs’ upside is heavily capped.
The fact Gibbs’ status is now doubtful could be a blessing in disguise for fantasy managers.
Breece Hall is currently ranked as the RB22 in our Consensus Rankings. The New York Jets play the Denver Broncos this week, the top-ranked defense in points allowed to fantasy running backs, giving up 41 points per game. With the news breaking that Hall will be restricted even less, that could be the comeback game fantasy managers have been waiting for.
Alvin Kamara current is the RB15 in our Consensus Rankings. He garnered 14 targets and 13 receptions in his season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he has little competition for carries behind him.
Kamara ran routes 70% of the time while leading the team in targets, receptions, and touches. While the box score suggests the game was a blowout, most of it was played in a neutral script until the fourth quarter. Kamara is going to be a focal point of this Saints offense moving forward and should be viewed as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
MORE: Week 5 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Joe Mixon is the only consistent fantasy option on the Cincinnati Bengals. The current RB19 is our RB16 this week in PFN’s Consensus Rankings. Mixon has come up against two of the hardest matchups in the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans.
This week, he gets an easier matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, a team giving up the third-most points to fantasy running backs this season (29.1 fantasy points per game).
While the Bengals have been struggling offensively, they might use Mixon in a more versatile role to help out Joe Burrow. Plus, if the Bengals can get ahead in this matchup, expect Mixon’s usage to be even greater.
Mixon should be viewed as an RB2 with potential RB1 upside if he can amass more than 20 touches this week.