Jahmyr

Gibbs

All three of Gibbs’ scores came on the ground, but Gibbs was largely bottled up on the ground. Gibbs saw 19 of his 43 rushing yards come on a 19-yard run in the first quarter, but the versatile speedster ripped off 77 yards through the air while hauling in all seven of his targets. Gibbs’ third and final touchdown on the day, which officially put the game out of reach, gave him 47 for his career, tying hall of famers Barry Sanders and Randy Moss for the most touchdowns by a player before they turn 24. Gibbs doesn’t turn 24 until March and is on pace to shatter that record. It’s possible he’ll stand alone in that category next week when he faces the Rams in Week 15, where he will be a high-end RB1.

The Packers’ defense played very well in this one, though the Lions also featured RB David Montgomery in the wildcat in goal-to-go situations this afternoon. Although Gibbs was held out of the end zone, he still notched a typically impressive play by lining up as a wide receiver at the Packers’ 10-yard line against CB Keisean Nixon and beating him for a six-yard reception. Gibbs is an elite RB1 against the Cowboys next week.

Gibbs is in just his third year with the Lions and will undoubtedly have his fifth-year rookie for the 2027 season exercised this offseason, but the Lions would be smart to secure the 23-year-old back for the long term. Arguably the best dual-threat back in the league, Gibbs has rushed 155 times for 951 yards and 10 touchdowns this season and has caught 48 passes for 379 yards and another three scores. He ripped off a 49-yard touchdown run in Week 12 to put the Lions within three points of the Giants, and secured the win for them in overtime on a 69-yard touchdown run. Gibbs won’t turn 24 until next offseason and is already among the best backs in the league. It would be wise for the Lions to get him under contract sooner rather than later.

Jahmyr Gibbs had the game of his life, going for 219 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards along with two touchdowns against a Giants rush defense that ranks among the NFL’s worst. Montgomery was limited to breather back duties a week after being held to six carries for 27 yards against the Eagles. Gibbs has fully taken over the Detroit backfield with Dan Campbell calling offensive plays. Montgomery is a bench stash in most 12-team leagues and one of the best contingency options in fantasy.

Every time you looked up, Gibbs was ripping off another chunk gain as the centerpiece of the run-heavy Detroit offense facing off against the NFL’s worst run defense. Gibbs averaged a stunning 14.6 yards per carry, often going untouched through gaping holes in the New York defensive line. His 69-yard scamper proved to be the winning score in overtime after the Giants choked away a fourth-quarter lead with inexplicable fourth-down decisions. Gibbs’ 12 targets were second on the team; he now has 25 targets over his past three outings. With increased touches since Dan Campbell took over as the Lions’ offensive play caller, Gibbs is an every-week fantasy matchup-flipping player with a CMC-like workload. Unlike CMC, Gibbs can outrun every defender on the field. He’ll be an elite option on Thanksgiving against the Packers.

The 107 yards through the air set a new career high, besting his previous mark of 82 yards set earlier in the season against the Buccaneers, while accounting for 47 percent of the team’s total yards on a night the Lions went 0-5 on fourth down tries. Gibbs also caught five of Goff’s 14 completions through unrelenting pressure on the front end and lockdown coverage on the back end. The Lions have traded wins and losses for the previous five weeks, falling to third place in the NFC North in the process, but get a slight reprieve when they host the Giants in Week 12 before a marquee rematch with the Packers on Thanksgiving. Gibbs remains a top tier RB1 in fantasy circles.

LaPorta was entirely unable to practice this week, which is concerning. The Lions also listed backup TE Brock Wright (ankle) as questionable to play after two limited sessions. Hopefully, LaPorta can return in time for the Lions’ Week 12 game against the Giants. His Week 11 absence adds a potential target or two to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Jameson Williams and RB Jahmyr Gibbs’ workloads.

Gibbs dominated the Commanders’ defense from start to finish, averaging 9.5 yards per carry and 10.0 yards per reception. He was featured on the Lions’ opening drive, touching the ball on 6-of-10 plays, which culminated in a 14-yard catch-and-run touchdown on an angle route. The Lions’ electric running back was untouchable at times, racking up multiple explosive gains on outside runs and tosses by patiently waiting for holes in the second level to appear before knifing through them. He remains a weekly candidate to finish as the overall RB1 against the Eagles next week.

Minnesota came into the proceedings with poor overall numbers against the run, but spent most of the afternoon playing with a lead. That was apparently enough to make it all but impossible for the Lions to get Gibbs and David Montgomery established, though D-Mont at least found the end zone. Gibbs has been more feast-or-famine than usual in the Lions’ post-Ben Johnson offense, but he is still feasting enough to maintain top-five overall status. There will just be days like today. Hopefully that does not include Week 10 against a Commanders run defense that rates similarly to Minnesota’s.

The 218 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Lions skill position player since Calvin Johnson’s record setting 329 yards in 2013, also going down as the third most yards from scrimmage of a Detroit running back in the team’s storied history. Much of Gibbs’ damage came on a 78-yard second quarter touchdown scamper up the gut, his first of two trips to the paint against an opponent that has been one of the stingier defenses to run on over the previous five seasons. Gibbs dominated the backfield work until the second half, ceding a total of 16 opportunities to David Montgomery - the vast majority of which came after the break with the game in hand. But that also makes the outburst that much more impressive considering Gibbs did his damage on only 20 touches. Up next for Gibbs and the Lions is a divisional matchup with the Vikings in Week 9, following a Week 8 bye.