Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Detroit Lions RB Is Betting Favorite For 2026 OPOY

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By John Maakaron | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 3:42 PM ET

The Detroit Lions are expected to feature one of the top rushing attacks in the National Football League.

With the departure of veteran running back David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs will now handle the majority of the workload in Drew Petzing's offense.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the 24-year-old is currently the betting favorite to be the 2026 Offensive Player of the Year (+700).

Just behind Gibbs are Bijan Robinson (+800), Ja'Marr Chase (+900), Puka Nacua (+1000), Christian McCaffrey (+1100) and Jaxson Smith-Njigba (+1100).

As Sports Illustrated explained, "While the duo of Gibbs and Montgomery, AKA Sonic and Knuckles, was one of the most feared backfield duos in football, Montgomery's presence took away from Gibbs' production. Now, Gibbs has the backfield to himself, which will lead to a significant increase in touches in 2026. If he can still average 5.3 yards per carry but now has a full workload, you can easily see how he'd win the award."

In 2025, the former first-round draft pick recorded 1,223 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

With Montgomery now a member of the Houston Texans, the team is counting on Isaiah Pacheco to be Gibbs' backup.

He told local reporters multiple team's were interested in his services in free agency, but Detroit was appealing, based on what he seem on the field the two occasions the Chiefs recently played Dan Campbell's squad.

“Our first conversation, I was screaming on the phone, ‘Ahhh, let’s (expletive) go. I’m ready to go. Put me in,’” Pacheco expressed. “He's (Dan Campbell) like, ‘Oh yeah, Pacheco, what number you going with, you going with 10?’ I go, ‘(expletive) right. Let’s go. I’m on my way. I’m coming home.’ So, that was the whole adrenaline during the call.

“I just couldn’t thank them enough for thinking of me," Pacheco added. "There were a lot of teams, I had eight opportunities to go to different teams. Kansas City was one of them, but once they made that move (to sign Kenneth Walker), I knew that I had to look forward to opening up the doors to going somewhere else, and this was the first place I thought of.”