Jahmyr

Gibbs

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.

Gibbs significantly out-touched backfield mate David Montgomery, the latter of whom turned four carries into 24 yards and caught two targets for 37 yards through the air. The large disparity in backfield work was likely resultant from consistently negative game script after the Lions trailed for much of the game, leaving the offense more one-dimensional than they would otherwise like. The 4-2 Lions will look to shake off their loss in Week 7 with a home matchup against the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football, before getting a mid-season breather with a Week 8 bye.

Gibbs took somewhat of a backseat to David Montgomery in this one as he was out-carried 12 to 18. Still, the Lions made sure to utilize Gibbs on a bubble screen near the end zone and the 23-year-old running back scored from 20 yards out. Detroit’s offense has looked like a well-oiled machine since Week 1, scoring at least 34 points in every game, and Gibbs is the engine. He’s an RB1 against the Chiefs in Week 6.

Gibbs once again led the backfield in carries, seeing 15 totes to David Montgomery’s nine. He also saw two targets compared to one for his backfield compatriot. Gibbs and the entire Lions offense were a collective disaster in Week 1. They have since dropped at least 34 points in each of their past three games. Gibbs has four touchdowns during that stretch. Rumors of Detroit’s demise were greatly exaggerated. It’s RB1 business as usual for Gibbs as he prepares to take on the Bengals next week.

Gibbs handled 22 carries and six targets to the 13 opportunities of David Montgomery, but it was the latter back that stole the show while amassing 151 yards and two scores on the ground. Even so, the 28 opportunities were the most in a game in which Montgomery also was on the field during Gibbs’ three-year NFL career - a solid sign for what is to come for the talented back. Gibbs could find the sledding difficult again in Week 4 against a Cleveland defense leading the league in yards allowed per carry through three games.

Reeling from an awful Week 1, Gibbs got back on track along with the rest of the Lions’ offense. Although he lost a goal-line score to David Montgomery, Gibbs compensated with a six-yarder where he found the left edge. Gibbs has been inefficient as a pass catcher so far this season — 13 catches for 41 yards — but the overall explosiveness has been there. Last week’s dud came outdoors on the road, with today’s bounce-back coming at home in the dome. Detroit is heading back outside for Week 3 in Baltimore.

It was a disastrous day for the Lions and Gibbs was no exception. He averaged 2.1 yards per carry and his longest gain of the day was a 14-yard scamper in the first quarter. If you play in a PPR fantasy league, all of that is background noise compared to his high-volume receiving output. His 10-catch outing goes down as a career-high for the third-year back. Gibbs still split work with David Montgomery, who saw 11 carries, and the Lions’ offensive line struggled against Green Bay’s elite front seven. Gibbs’ efficiency should rebound going forward, but he will need the offense to improve drastically if he’s going to continue splitting reps with Montgomery. Gibbs and the Lions will look to get on track in Week 2 versus the Bears.

“In past years, you’d often see Montgomery get the first bulk of carries before Gibbs takes the field. There was a clear pecking order in practice, and that often translated to games,” Pouncy continued. A shift where Gibbs takes on more of the early-down workload from David Montgomery would qualify as a fantasy earthquake, something that could push Gibbs ahead of Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley in the No. 1 overall running back conversation, while also pushing Montgomery down the board quite a bit. Pouncy also notes that “perhaps the staff is recognizing [Gibbs] is too talented for a true 50-50 split.” We aren’t sure quite how much stock to put into this, but it’s certainly a noteworthy report from Lions camp.