David Montgomery Stays in NFC North, Signs with Detroit

David Montgomery is staying in the NFC North. The veteran back agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions on a three-year, $18 million deal with $11 million in guarantees. This signing signals the end of Jamaal Williams’ tenure with Detroit, as Montgomery figures to fill his role in the Lions’ offense.

Once the apple of many a fantasy manager’s eye, Montgomery plodded his way through four seasons with the Bears. Volume was never an issue, as he topped 200 carries in all four seasons. At the same time, he posted just one 1,000-yard season on the ground. To be fair, Montgomery did have to endure the Matt Nagy regime and ran behind a poor offensive line. 

While Montgomery’s overall output in Chicago doesn’t inspire much confidence, it’s tough to not like the role he’s assuming. Jamaal Williams is coming off a franchise-record 17 rushing touchdowns while also topping 1,000 rushing yards and notching a hefty 262 carries. 

But wait, what about D’Andre Swift? At this point, Swift seems to be relegated to a limited role. Despite his explosive playmaking ability, he just hasn’t proven to be able to hold up to a feature workload. On the other hand, Montgomery has been fairly durable, with just six missed games in his four NFL seasons. Sadly, for Swift’s fantasy outlook, the 2023 Lions backfield should look a lot like the 2022 version, just swapping out Williams for Montgomery. As such, Montgomery figures to be a low ceiling, high-volume fantasy option at the back end of RB2 territory. It isn’t sexy, but he’s set up for volume. 

In Chicago, Montgomery’s departure now positions Khalil Herbert as the lead dog. The Bears did sign Travis Homer, but he’s more of a depth piece. Herbert figures to carry a bulk of the workload with second-year man Tristan Ebner handling passing down and change-of-pace duties. Last season, Herbert often looked to be the best player in the Chicago backfield, displaying explosive ability in the run game and posting an impressive 5.7 yards per carry. As the Bears continue their 2023 glow up, Herbert is moving up the fantasy running back board. He has the juice to make a dent in the RB2 conversation.