David Montgomery DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery rushed seven times for 28 yards during Saturday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also threw a pass for 20 yards. Montgomery returned from a multi-week absence caused by a knee injury. As expected, he took a backseat to Jahmyr Gibbs, who had twice as many carries and also saw a whopping 11 targets. Montgomery's ability to convert in short-yardage situations makes him a special running back, but there's no denying that he lacks the shiftiness, receiving skills, and big-play upside of Gibbs. Nevertheless, the two continue to form the best running back duo in the NFL. Heading into 2025, Montgomery will have standalone value as a high-end RB3, and he'll also be a premier handcuff option in case Gibbs gets hurt.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) is off the injury report and good to go for Saturday's playoff game against the Washington Commanders. The veteran back has been sidelined since suffering an MCL sprain during their Week 15 contest against the Buffalo Bills. While sidelined, sophomore running back Jahmyr Gibbs has taken complete control of the backfield. However, with Montgomery back in the mix, fantasy managers should expect both of them to share the backfield throughout the remainder of the postseason. During the first 13 games of the season, Montgomery averaged 13.8 carries per game with 59.3 rushing yards per game. During this stretch, he found the back of the end zone 12 times and saw 17 total carries within the five-yard line. While Gibbs carries the higher ceiling, given his elite speed, Montgomery is a high-floor RB2, given his role in short-yardage situations and in the red zone. Fantasy managers should feel confident viewing him as an RB2 in all DFS competitions this weekend against Washington.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) was a full-go in practice on Wednesday for the second straight day this week. Montgomery said that he's "ready to go" for the Divisional Round game this Saturday versus the visiting Washington Commanders despite spraining his MCL in the Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 27-year-old missed the final three weeks of the regular season but had an extra week to rest with Detroit on bye during the wild-card round of the playoffs. It's great news for the Lions backfield that Monty will be available this weekend, as he has been the tone-setter for the team's ground game the last two seasons. He had 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 185 carries over 14 games before his knee injury, adding 36 catches for 341 yards through the air. The potential for fewer touches alongside Jahmyr Gibbs this Saturday will make him a more volatile fantasy asset, though.

After returning to a full practice on Tuesday, Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) said he's "ready to go" for the Divisional Round clash against the visiting Washington Commanders this Saturday. Montgomery sprained the MCL in his right knee in a Dec. 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and at the time, it was reported he would undergo season-ending surgery. However, Monty never had plans to go under the knife and was always targeting the Divisional Round for his return. The six-year veteran spent every day strengthening his knee, and he said it "feels better than it did before I got hurt." Still, given the long layoff, it's unclear how much he'll play this weekend. Montgomery was averaging around 28 snaps per game before the knee injury, gaining 775 yards with 12 touchdowns in 14 appearances. He's been Detroit's tone-setter on the ground, but he'll be much more of a risk in fantasy lineups this weekend.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) was listed as a full participant in the team's first practice of the week on Tuesday. An MCL sprain to his right knee kept Montgomery out for the final three games of the regular season, and he had an extra week to heal up with the Lions on bye during the wild-card round of the playoffs last weekend. With the 27-year-old back to a full-go in practice, even though it was merely a walkthrough on Tuesday, he's on track to be available this Saturday in the Divisional Round against the visiting Washington Commanders. It's good news for the Lions offense for sure, but fantasy managers in playoff leagues should be hesitant to rely on Monty, who could have a reduced role alongside Jahmyr Gibbs in his first game back. In 14 games before his knee injury in 2024, Montgomery had 185 rushing attempts for 775 yards and 12 TDs and also caught 36 passes for 341 yards.