David Montgomery 2025 NFL Redraft Outlook: RB 2 or More of a Backup?

The departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to Chicago created some uncertainty, but new play-caller John Morton isn’t exactly some scrub they pulled off the street. Morton knows how to use running backs effectively, and more importantly, Dan Campbell isn’t about to abandon what works.

David Montgomery brings something to the table that Gibbs simply doesn’t: the ability to punish defenses in short-yardage situations and late in games when everyone knows the run is coming. That’s not going away just because there’s a new voice in the headset.

Let’s pump the brakes on the doom-and-gloom narratives. Yes, Gibbs is explosive. Yes, he’s the future. But Montgomery is still the present, and the present looks pretty good for fantasy purposes.

David Montgomery is the definition of a reliable RB2. He’s not going to win you weeks with 40-point explosions, but he’s also not going to lose them with duds. In 2024, he averaged 16 PPR points per game, which is solidly in the RB2 range and exactly what you want from a mid-round pick.

The touchdown upside remains real. Montgomery has found the end zone double-digit times in back-to-back seasons, and there’s no reason to think that changes. The Lions’ offense is still going to be one of the league’s best, and someone has to score those touchdowns near the goal line.

Despite all the offseason chatter about getting both Gibbs and David Montgomery on the field together, the Lions used two running backs on just 21 snaps last season. That’s roughly once per game. Revolutionary stuff, right?

The reality is that both backs are productive enough in their current roles that there’s no pressing need to force some gimmicky two-back formations. Montgomery handles the heavy lifting between the tackles, Gibbs provides the explosive plays on the outside, and everyone’s happy.