You ask any fantasy football manager this year, and one of the toughest decisions has been trying to choose between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery as a starter in their lineup. At times this year, they have both delivered and had some huge games for the Detroit Lions.
Let’s take a look at the fantasy outlook for each player heading into Week 14.
Should You Start Jahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Gibbs is the player to start. His projected 13.1 points include 45 rushing yards, three catches, and 23 receiving yards. That projected stat line narrowly outperforms the consensus projections of Montgomery’s 10.8 points.
I am going to go with the Optimizer and with Gibbs this week. Montgomery has been very good when healthy this year, but I truly think Gibbs’ ceiling is just higher than Montgomery’s.
Fantasy Outlook for Gibbs This Week
I know, if you look at last week’s performance, I am not sure you are going to go with Gibbs this time. A big reason why he has been the guy I would play the past few weeks is because the snaps were in his favor. In Week 13, he rushed the ball only eight times and was only on the floor for 26 snaps.
In the game against the New Orleans Saints last week, he averaged a season-high 7.5 yards a carry on eight carries. The 60 yards he finished with on the ground were the most he has had since playing the Los Angeles Chargers.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
This isn’t an easy matchup in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears, who rank No. 1 in rushing defense. On the season, they are allowing just 79 rush yards per game. In their first meeting in Week 11, Gibbs only rushed for 36 yards, but he rushed the ball only eight times. He was able to get in the endzone.
Both of these running backs are capable of having a big game, but give me the guy with the higher ceiling in this matchup
Fantasy Outlook for Montgomery This Week
If you look at the number of carries that Montgomery got last week (18), you would be ecstatic. Those were the most carries he has had in a game since Week 5. Despite having that many carries, it wasn’t a great game for him. Montgomery had only 56 yards in the game. It was his fewest rushing yards in a game in which he carried the ball at least 10 times this season.
After scoring a touchdown in Week 13, Montgomery now has scored in four straight games. That brings his season total to 10 touchdowns. What makes that even more impressive is the fact he has played only nine games.
Montgomery is going up against his former team for the second time this year. In the matchup three weeks ago, Montgomery rushed for 76 yards and scored a touchdown.
He hasn’t been the same since that game, and it feels like Gibbs is going to be a bigger part of the offense moving toward the playoffs.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!