RapSheet: Contract discussions for Gibbs ‘not as active’

Robinson did what he could in the midst of a Cooper Rush meltdown, but it’s hard to expect much when his team puts up a grand total of three points. Atlanta also pulled their starters early, allowing Brian Robinson Jr. to rack up 13 touches of his own. Robinson is a volume-based RB1 even when Rush is under center, and he’ll move back into the top three once Michael Penix takes over. That could happen next week versus the Packers on Thursday Night Football.

Gibbs was effectively the entire game plan out of the gates, scoring the team’s only first-half touchdown from 11 yards out in the second quarter. He would be used far less after the break as the Lions attempted to come back from multiple 17-point deficits, although the six receptions on eight targets and a touchdown through the air helped push his counting stats into clear RB1 territory for the second consecutive week to start the season. Fantasy managers that were lucky enough to secure the 1.01 in drafts this offseason are sure to be content with the early returns. Gibbs will once again be an elite fantasy option when the Lions host the Jets in Week 3.

As expected, the Lions elevated Gibbs to a true workhorse role sans David Montgomery and he never looked back. He ceded a grand total of three touches to backup Sione Vaki. Gibbs logged career highs in touches and carries. Despite this, Gibbs still cruised past 5.4 yards per carry, consistently gashing the Saints for chunk gains. To no one’s surprise, Gibbs is the runaway favorite to be the RB1 overall this year. He will hold that spot in the Week 2 rankings when he takes on Buffalo.

To say Bijan Robinson was the majority of the team’s offense would be an understatement. He had 173 of the team’s 238 total yards and 29 of the 43 touches by any skill player. He played on 47 of the team’s 61 total snaps and only lost carries to Brian Robinson because the team couldn’t possibly continue to ride Bijan Robinson any more than they were. His involvement in the short passing game, especially given who will be at quarterback, makes Bijan Robinson seemingly matchup-proof for fantasy purposes.

McFadden notes that Robinson had more outside runs than any other player last season. He believes new Falcons OC Tommy Rees and new OL coach Bill Callahan are focused on diversifying the run game tactics by adding a north-south approach. He thinks Falcons running backs “should benefit from a penetrating approach oriented around getting them into second-level space quickly.” McFadden also checked in with Robinson, who said Rees is implementing new screen game concepts, derived from his time with the Browns. Last year in Cleveland, Rees’ offense racked up 413 yards via the screen game, ranking second in the NFL. Adding more ways to get Robinson the ball in space only solidifies his status as the overall RB2 in fantasy drafts this year.

The Lions are retaining “all” of last year’s play-calling verbiage, and “it was on Drew Petzing to learn the offense,” not the other way around. Goff apparently “had as much of a hand in getting Petzing familiar with the offense as the offensive staff did.” Mays believes these developments speak to the command, agency and autonomy that Goff possesses at this stage in his career. We agree. For those who were concerned about the Lions scrapping the tactics that coach Dan Campbell employed as the Lions’ play caller in Weeks 10-18 last year, it sounds like those concepts aren’t going anywhere. Will Petzing be allowed to add his own elements to that playbook? Yes, we assume so. At the end of the day, this year’s offense could look a lot like last year’s fantasy-friendly unit, though. Draft accordingly.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the contract could be worth up to $75.75 million and includes $51.5 million guaranteed. The deal averages $22.5 million per year, resetting the running back market. The Lions’ bell cow back enters his age-24 season firmly in play for fantasy football’s overall RB1 spot.

Gibbs made a brief appearance at practice today. When Lions reporter Dave Birkett asked him if a deal was close, Gibbs gave a thumbs-up before heading into the indoor practice facility. The deal might not be officially signed yet, but it sounds like that should happen any day now. With the hold-in over and a contract in sight, Gibbs remains the 1.01 in early fantasy drafts.

According to Lions reporter Dave Birkett, Gibbs is in uniform “taking reps during the walk/through portion” of practice. He later stepped aside to work with trainers while individual drills were going on. Gibbs has already denied that he was missing practice because of his contract talks, but it’s hard to believe him on that front. His return to practice could mean that he and the Lions have reached an agreement on a new contract. Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor inked new contracts this week, making Gibbs the last domino to fall. All signs point toward a deal being announced in the very near future.

The deal includes a whopping $51 million in guarantees. Robinson becomes the highest-paid running back in NFL history, surpassing Saquon Barkely. Under the new deal, Robinson, 24, will make $22.25 million per year, according to ESPN. This ends Robinson’s brief hold-in at Falcons training camp. Robinson over his first three NFL seasons has totaled 5,648 yards and 34 touchdowns as the centerpiece of the Atlanta offense. That won’t change under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, who has talked up Robinson’s pass-catching ability this offseason. Robinson should be among the first two picks in every fantasy format this summer.