Now in Detroit, Montgomery will theoretically replace Jamaal Williams as the team's physical running back. In that role over two years, Williams averaged 13.8 carries and 1.3 catches per game with 20 touchdowns (17 in 2022). It's fair to expect Montgomery to get close to that workload with a shot at scoring several times near the goal line. But the Lions' other running back addition -- rookie Jahmyr Gibbs -- should not only handle passing downs but could eat into Montgomery's role. Montgomery averaged 11.1 PPR points per game splitting in Chicago last season, a number he should be able to match in Motown with upside to hit the 13.3 PPR points Williams had in 2022. It's just enough to put him toward the top of the No. 3 running back group (and the very bottom of the No. 2 tier) as a worthy Round 6 pick.
Montgomery (thigh) was limited at Tuesday's walkthrough.
After hurting his thigh in Week 2 versus the Seahawks, Montgomery was unable to practice at all prior to being inactive this past Sunday against the Falcons. This week, he's been estimated as a limited participant on both of the Lions' initial injury reports, but coach Dan Campbell relayed Tuesday that he's "starting to feel pretty good about" Montgomery suiting up Thursday at Green Bay.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Trending in right direction
Rotowire
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday that he's optimistic that Montgomery (thigh) will be able to play in Thursday's game versus the Packers.
Montgomery missed Week 3 due to a thigh bruise but was listed as a limited participant on Monday's estimated practice report. His return would likely mean less usage for rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs, who saw 17 rushing attempts versus Atlanta after garnering just 14 through the first two weeks of the season.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Listed as limited Monday
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) was a limited participant on Monday's practice estimate.
Montgomery was injured Week 2 against Seattle and didn't suit up for Sunday's 20-6 win over Atlanta. In Montgomery's absence, Jahmyr Gibbs took on a workhorse role with 17 carries for 80 yards, while Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight combined for 28 yards on seven carries. Montgomery's limited participation Monday suggests he has a chance to return for Thursday's game in Green Bay, though Tuesday's injury report will provide clarification on that front.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Inactive for Week 3 matchup
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Montgomery's inactive status comes as little surprise after the right thigh injury kept him from practicing Wednesday through Friday before he took a doubtful designation into the weekend. With Montgomery now officially sitting out the Week 3 matchup, rookie Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to be in store for an expanded role out of the Detroit backfield. Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight will be the available depth options behind Gibbs.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Deemed doubtful
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) didn't practice Friday and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.
Montgomery already said he expected to miss time and then went through the week without practicing. He thus seems highly unlikely to play, though the Lions will leave the door open with a 'doubtful' designation in case Montgomery's thigh bruise improves dramatically between Friday evening and Sunday morning. The Falcons and Lions are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff in a game that figures to draw extra attention from the fantasy world thanks to the presence of rookie RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Just don't be surprised if Craig Reynolds (for the Lions) and Tyler Allgeier (for the Falcons) also get a bunch of carries.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Misses another practice
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
Montgomery also missed Wednesday's session, which sets the stage for Friday's practice to loom large for the running back in terms of his chances of suiting up Sunday versus the Falcons. If Montgomery is unavailable this weekend, Jahmyr Gibbs would be in a position to see added touches Week 3, with Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight on hand to serve as complementary options in Detroit's backfield.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Labeled day-to-day
Rotowire
Coach Dan Campbell said Monday that Montgomery (thigh) is day-to-day, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Montgomery said after Sunday's overtime loss to the Seahawks that he expects to need "a couple weeks" to fully recover from his bruised thigh, but Campbell offered a more optimistic timetable. It may be that Montgomery is day-to-day in terms of actual game-time availability, meaning he could be on the field Week 3 versus the Falcons, but that truly getting back to full health will require more time. If Montgomery needs to miss game action or is limited when on the field, rookie backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs will have a path to increased touches.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: May face multi-week recovery
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) said it will take him "a couple weeks" to get fully healthy after being forced out of Sunday's 37-31 overtime loss to the Seahawks late in the third quarter, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Coach Dan Campbell said Montgomery suffered a bruised thigh. It remains to be seen whether the veteran running back will be able to play through the injury before returning to full strength, or whether he could be facing a multi-game absence. In either scenario, the Lions figure to lean more heavily on rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs, beginning in Week 3 versus the Falcons. Craig Reynolds could also potentially handle an expanded depth role.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Has thigh bruise
Rotowire
Coach Dan Campbell said Montgomery sustained a bruised thigh during Sunday's 37-31 overtime loss to the Seahawks, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
Prior to his departure late in the third quarter, Montgomery had 16 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown, one seven-yard catch and a lost fumble. Campbell relayed that the Lions will have more information on the running back Monday, likely after Montgomery undergoes a battery of tests. If Montgomery is forced to miss any time, his replacement in Detroit's backfield will be rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who notched 14 touches for 56 yards from scrimmage Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Scores before leaving injured
Rotowire
Montgomery (thigh) rushed 16 times for 67 yards and a touchdown but lost a fumble in Sunday's 37-31 overtime loss to the Seahawks. He also caught his only target for seven yards but was subsequently carted off after being injured late in the third quarter.
Montgomery turned the ball over on Detroit's first play of the second half. After having a touchdown reception negated on the next drive, he still finished that series with a four-yard score to atone for his mistake. His next time out, though, Montgomery was twisted awkwardly after making a catch, forcing him to exit the game and not return. While it was another productive performance prior to his departure, Montgomery's status going forward is now uncertain. If he's limited or unavailable, rookie first-rounder Jahmyr Gibbs would figure to benefit from increased usage.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Carted off Sunday
Rotowire
Montgomery (right leg) was carted to the locker room during Sunday's game against the Seahawks, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Montgomery got his right leg twisted up by a Seattle defender at the end of a seven-yard catch late in the third quarter. The nature of the injury isn't known, but he had 16 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown and the aforementioned reception at the time of his departure. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs will take over the Lions backfield for the time being.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: RBs to Start
Rotowire
Jahmyr Gibbs should go off in this game, especially if the Lions play him more than just the 19 snaps he had in Week 1 at Kansas City. He looked impressive with six missed tackles on his seven carries, and he's a definite starter in all leagues in Week 2 against Seattle. But Montgomery isn't going away, and Lions coach Dan Campbell clearly loves his bruising running back. Montgomery played 55 snaps against the Chiefs and finished with 21 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. His lack of work in the passing game is discouraging, but Montgomery should be a candidate to score each week. And in Week 1, the Seahawks allowed three rushing touchdowns to the Rams duo of Kyren Williams (two) and Cam Akers. Also, when these teams met in Detroit in Week 4 last year, Jamaal Williams had 19 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Should inherit goal-line role
Rotowire
Montgomery is expected to take over as the Lions' goal-line running back in 2023 in addition to sharing work with Jahmyr Gibbs on early downs, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.
Detroit opted to overhaul its running-back room this offseason, bringing in Montgomery on a three-year, $18 million deal in free agency and selecting Gibbs in the first round of the draft while bidding adieu to Jamaal Williams in free agency and trading D'Andre Swift to Philadelphia. Montgomery will essentially be serving as the Williams replacement, a role that could be fruitful after Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022. While he shouldn't be expected to see nearly as many goal-line carries as Williams did a season ago nor cash in on those opportunities as frequently, Montgomery would be a worthy investment for fantasy managers if he can reach half of Williams' touchdown total from a year ago. And while the Lions envision the talented Gibbs holding a key role on offense right out of the gate, the coaching staff may take advantage of the rookie's pass-catching skills by deploying him in the slot as well as out of the backfield. As such, there may be scenarios where both Montgomery and Gibbs share the field, and the former should be much more involved in the passing game than Williams was in his lone season in Detroit. Montgomery averaged three catches per game and 6.6 yards per target over his final three years in Chicago, while Williams recorded just 12 catches in total and averaged 4.6 yards per target while playing the full 17-game slate in 2022.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: RBs to Start
Rotowire
This should be a great game for Jahmyr Gibbs because the Chiefs are annually horrible at stopping pass-catching running backs, and he's a must-start option in Week 1, especially in PPR. But Montgomery should be considered a must-start option as well with standout Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones unlikely to play because of his holdout. In what should be a high-scoring affair with a projected over-under of 52.5, look for Montgomery to finish as a top-15 running back in all leagues.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Healthy for camp
Rotowire
Montgomery (undisclosed) is participating in training camp, Mike O'Hara of detroitlions.com reports.
His undisclosed injury from spring practices apparently hasn't lingered into summer. Montgomery thus figures to get plenty of first-team reps throughout training camp, with the question being to what extent he shares that work with first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs. It's a safe bet both enter Week 1 in significant roles, likely with Montgomery doing more of the rushing and Gibbs doing more of the receiving, though both are capable of beating a defense on the ground or through the air.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Dealing with minor injury
Rotowire
Coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that Montgomery (undisclosed) won't practice but isn't dealing with anything serious, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Montgomery departed from OTAs last week due to an undisclosed injury, and while a timetable for his return remains uncertain it doesn't look like the Lions are overly concerned. Heading into his age-26 season, Montgomery looks poised to handle a key role as a rusher for Detroit, though rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs should also see a fair share of carries while potentially commanding most of the backfield receiving work.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Exits practice early
Rotowire
Montgomery left Thursday's practice early due to injury, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Montgomery walked off the field and back to the locker room during Detroit's first open practice of the spring. There's no contact work at this point, so it's likely a muscular injury for Montgomery, who played 60 of a possible 66 games in four seasons with the Bears while topping 200 carries each year. He could see similar rushing workloads in Detroit, but it'll be tougher to get involved as a pass catcher after the Lions used the 12th overall pick on Jahmyr Gibbs, a 199-pound RB with 4.36 speed coming off three straight seasons at Alabama with at least 303 receiving yards and multiple scores. Behind the obvious top two, Detroit's backfield holds Craig Reynolds, Jermar Jefferson, 2022 UDFA Greg Bell and 2023 UDFA Mohamed Ibrahim.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Joined by first-round rookie
Rotowire
Montgomery has new competition in the backfield after Detroit drafted RB Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall Thursday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Birkett, along with many others, expects D'Andre Swift to be the odd man out in the Detroit backfield, given that Swift has one year remaining on his contract and has struggled to stay healthy throughout his pro career. Montgomery joined the Lions in March on a three-year, $18 million contract with $8.75 million guaranteed at signing, including his $1.25 base salary for 2023 and $3 million of his $5.25 million salary for 2024. He thus figures to be under contract for at least two years, and while Detroit's backfield looks crowded at the moment, Montgomery could end up with a workload split around 50/50 as the thunder to Gibbs' lightning if/when the Lions move on from Swift. To that end, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Friday morning that the Lions are already receiving trade calls for Swift.
... See More... See Less
Lions' David Montgomery: Joining Detroit backfield
Rotowire
Montgomery agreed Tuesday with the Lions on a three-year, $18 million contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Montgomery is set to stay in the NFC North after spending his first four years in Chicago. His signing indicates Detroit is likely out of the mix to re-sign Jamaal Williams, putting Montgomery in line to split work with D'Andre Swift. Montgomery saw the lightest workload of his four-year career this past season but still accumulated 801 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 201 carries to go along with 316 receiving yards and one touchdown on 34 receptions in 16 games.
... See More... See Less
Bears' David Montgomery: Set for free agency
Rotowire
Montgomery rushed seven times for 21 yards in the Bears' 29-13 loss to the Vikings in Week 18, and he ended the season with 201 carries for 801 yards and two touchdowns along with 34 receptions, 316 yards and another score over 16 games played.
In each of his four seasons, Montgomery has produced at least 1,074 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns. Over his career, he's rushed for less than four yards per carry, but he's handled at least 200 carries each season while missing just five games. He's also been solid as a receiver, having posted at least 301 yards in three straight seasons. Although he maintained his hold on the lead role in the backfield, Khalil Herbert cut into his workload and often appeared to be the more explosive runner. It's possible that Chicago lets Herbert take on the lead role in 2023 with Montgomery now an unrestricted free agent.
