The Detroit Lions selected RB Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but what will his role look like in his rookie season? Should you draft Gibbs in fantasy football leagues in 2023?
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Jahmyr Gibbs’ Fantasy Outlook for the 2023 NFL Season
It is not very often you see teams using top-15 draft capital to select RBs, but the Lions turned some heads on draft night when they selected Gibbs with their first of two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Not only did they do this after signing RB David Montgomery in free agency, but they also still had D’Andre Swift on the roster. It’s worth noting that Gibbs and Swift were teammates for less than 72 hours, but the fact remains the Lions aggressively went after Gibbs despite having quality RBs already on the roster.
Well, it turns out Gibbs has already been turning some heads during training camp.
Jahmyr Gibbs leaving Jack Campbell in the DUST 😳
Gibbs’ speed has reportedly caused “major problems” for defenders throughout training camp.
Brian Daboll (Giants HC) called Gibbs an “unbelievable player” after facing him in joint practices.
Gibbs reportedly already looks… pic.twitter.com/YlnwICAHoP
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) August 18, 2023
Gibbs is a special player in space who possesses elite-level acceleration, home-run speed. and is an absolute headache for defenders to try to handle in the passing game.
The problem with projecting a fantasy season similar to that of Bijan Robinson is his backfield competition.
Gibbs wasn’t exactly a high-volume player during his collegiate career, as he never saw 200 total touches in any season. And he wasn’t particularly used as a goal-line hammer in goal-to-go situations.
However, Montgomery has proven a very capable RB in the NFL and projects to get some of the short-yardage and goal-line work that belonged to Jamaal Williams last season, which produced 17 rushing TDs.
If anything, Gibbs’ skill set is far more similar to that of Swift, who saw just 99 carries last year.
Is Gibbs a Good Fantasy Pick?
The Lions’ backfield is a hotly debated topic in the fantasy football world at the moment.
Gibbs is a highly efficient, explosive playmaking option that has a top-five fantasy ceiling if the situation is ideal.
The problem is … it isn’t an ideal situation for Gibbs in 2023. Montgomery is going to be a real thorn in the side of Gibbs shareholders, similar to how Williams was last year for Swift investors.
Gibbs may have a top-five ceiling, but Montgomery has already proven he has a top-five fantasy ceiling with an RB4 finish in PPR formats back in 2020.
Sure, Gibbs has the potential to be an RB1, but right now, he is being drafted in the third round as an RB1 or RB2. He represents one of the riskier picks with a wide range of outcomes at his current draft-day price.
- PFN Consensus: 29th overall
- ADP: 33rd overall