Lions' David Montgomery: Limited production in Week 6
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Montgomery recorded four carries for 24 yards and caught both of his targets for 37 yards in Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Chiefs.
Montgomery nearly had a one-yard passing touchdown on the opening possession of the game to Jared Goff, but the score was nullified by an illegal motion penalty on Detroit. With the team falling behind early, the running back never really was able to establish himself on the ground, logging a season-low four totes. Montgomery will look to bounce back Week 7 against the Buccaneers.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Accounts for two touchdowns in win
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Montgomery rushed the ball 18 times for 65 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 37-24 win over the Bengals. He added one reception on one target for six yards while also completing one pass for three yards and a score.
Montgomery made his initial impact in the game as a passer, taking a direct snap and delivering a three-yard touchdown pass to Brock Wright early in the second quarter. He got going as a rusher in the second half, racking up 12 carries for 62 yards -- highlighted by an eight-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. While it wasn't his most efficient performance, Montgomery bounced back from a poor Week 4 showing while logging a season-high 18 carries.
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Lions' David Montgomery: RBs to Start
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I expected Montgomery to struggle in Week 4 against Cleveland, and he finished with nine carries for 12 yards and no catches on one target. But he should rebound in Week 5 against the Bengals, who are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Five running backs have already scored at least 15.4 PPR points against Cincinnati, and the Bengals have allowed six total touchdowns to running backs in four games. Montgomery should be considered a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues, and Jahmyr Gibbs has top-three upside in this matchup. Montgomery is also from Cincinnati, and this homecoming could allow him to have a big game as well.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Can't find running room
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Montgomery rushed the ball nine times for 12 yards in Sunday's 34-10 win over the Browns.
The game script set up well for Montgomery, as the Lions led by multiple scores for nearly the entire second half. However, Jahmyr Gibbs out-touched him 17-9, and Montgomery was stymied even when he did get opportunities. His longest rush went for only four yards, and he failed to reach 20 rushing yards for only the third time in his 32 games with the Lions.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Montgomery was absolutely amazing in Week 3 at Baltimore with 12 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns and one catch for 13 yards on one target. He's now scored at least 13.1 PPR points in two games in a row, and it's tough to bench him in the majority of leagues. That said, here comes a matchup with the Browns, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Cleveland allowed Chase Brown to score a touchdown in Week 1, but the Browns have held Brown, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs to a combined 48 carries for 96 yards on the season. Montgomery can always score to save his Fantasy production, but this matchup should be brutal for most running backs all season. I'll stick with Jamhyr Gibbs as a must-start running back given his role in the passing game, but Montgomery is just a flex option in all leagues in Week 4.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Career rushing night on MNF
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Montgomery carried the ball 12 times for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding a 13-yard reception in Monday's 38-30 win over Baltimore.
Montgomery waltzed into a tough road environment and casually dropped a new personal best of 151 rushing yards in a single game. The seven-year pro's longest run of 72 yards surprisingly did not result in either of his two trips to the end zone Monday. Jahmyr Gibbs (22-67-2) finished with 10 more carries and 14 more touches than Montgomery, which was the largest disparity through three weeks for Detroit's talented backfield tandem. Expect the Lions to feed the Browns a heavy dose of both Montgomery and Gibbs when the two teams meet Week 4.
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Lions' David Montgomery: RBs to Sit
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Montgomery had one of his usual, productive games in Week 2 against Chicago with 11 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 4 yards on one target. The week before at Green Bay, Montgomery failed to score a touchdown but compiled 42 total yards with 11 carries and four catches. It will all come down to him falling into the end zone this week at Baltimore, and the Ravens have allowed one rushing touchdown so far to James Cook in Week 1. If the Lions are trailing in this game, then maybe Montgomery will be involved in the passing game again like he was against the Packers, but this isn't a spot to trust Montgomery. I'm still starting Jahmyr Gibbs in all leagues, but Montgomery is a flex option at best.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Compiles 61 total yards, TD in win
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Montgomery rushed 11 times for 57 yards and a touchdown and secured his only target for four yards in the Lions' 52-21 win over the Bears on Sunday.
Montgomery and backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs each recorded a rushing touchdown, and Montgomery also had just one fewer carry than his star teammate, albeit while compiling 37 fewer rushing yards. Montgomery still averaged 5.2 yards per carry, however, and he rang up his first TD of the season on a one-yard run late in the first quarter. Through two games, it appears the backs will continue to operate in a fairly close timeshare, but they face a thorny matchup in a Week 3 road trip to face the Ravens on Monday night, Sept. 22.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Sleeper RBs
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Montgomery had a rough game in Week 1 at Green Bay with 11 carries for 25 yards and four catches for 18 yards on four targets. But he should rebound this week against the Bears, and he has scored at least 15.4 PPR points in two of three career meetings against his former team. Since joining the Lions in 2023, Montgomery has gone consecutive games without scoring a touchdown when healthy only one time, which was Weeks 14 and 15 in 2023. I'm counting on him to find the end zone in Week 2, and he's worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Not worried about O-line losses
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Montgomery recently said he has "no concern" about Detroit's offensive line changes and is confident in new offensive coordinator John Morton.
The Lions lost center Frank Ragnow to retirement and right guard Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, leaving a training camp competition between rookie second-round pick Tate Ratledge, 2024 sixth-rounder Christian Mahogany and 27-year-old Trystan Colon, among others, for the two open spots. Morton, who was Detroit's passing-game coordinator the last two years under former OC Ben Johnson, still has an elite tackle duo and one of the best groups of skill-position players in the league at his disposal. There's always some chance the new play-caller gives Jahmyr Gibbs a few more snaps and touches at Montgomery's expense, but wholesale changes are unlikely after the Lions scored a league-high 33.2 points per game last season.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Quiet in return
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Montgomery rushed the ball seven times for 28 yards in Saturday's 45-31 divisional-round loss to the Commanders. He added one completion of 20 yards.
Montgomery returned from an MCL injury he suffered in Week 15, and the Lions attempted to get him involved early by giving him three carries across their first two offensive possessions. However, he was ultimately out-touched by Jahmyr Gibbs 20-7 and played a minor role in the offense. Despite the disappointing close, Montgomery enjoyed a strong second season in Detroit, tallying 12 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry across 15 games. He remains under contract with the team and will likely be back in 2025 to complement Gibbs.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Set to return Saturday
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Montgomery (knee) doesn't have a designation for Saturday's divisional-round game against the Commanders.
Montgomery hurt the MCL in his left knee during a Week 15 loss to the Bills, after which there was uncertainty about his potential to return this season. Ultimately, after he received numerous opinions regarding the issue, the Lions made the decision to not place him on injured reserve, giving him a chance to come back at some point in the postseason. The call was a fortuitous one after Detroit claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and Montgomery will miss only three games as a result of the injury. It's unclear how much work he may scoop up alongside Jahmyr Gibbs on Saturday, but at the very least Montgomery likely will claim some of the early-down and short-yardage reps that have allowed him to compile 25 rushing touchdowns in 28 regular-season contests with the Lions.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Gauged as full practice participant
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The Lions listed Montgomery (knee) as a full participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice.
Though the Lions didn't take the field for a traditional practice, the running back will seemingly be ready to go for Saturday's divisional-round game against the Commanders. Given that Montgomery missed the final three contests of the regular season due to an MCL sprain in his right knee, he could be asked to handle a more limited role out of the backfield in the Lions' postseason opener than he taken on prior to suffering the injury. Second-year tailback Jahmyr Gibbs thrived as the Lions' clear lead option out of the backfield to close out the regular season and still projects to get the larger share of the touches Saturday, though Montgomery's bruising running style and ability to contribute as a receiver will make him a welcome addition to the offense. Montgomery made 14 appearances during the regular season, gaining 775 rushing yards on 185 carries and 12 touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 341 yards on 38 targets.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Expected back for divisional round
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Head coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday that he expects to have Montgomery (knee) available for the Lions' first playoff game in the divisional round, Justin Rogers of DetroitFootball.net reports.
Montgomery initially looked to be at risk of missing the rest of the season after he suffered a left knee injury in a Week 15 loss to the Bills, but tests revealed just an MCL sprain and no other major structural damage. Per Jared Ramsey of the Detroit Free Press, Montgomery went through his first full workout since getting hurt this past Saturday, which included some change-of-pace work. With the Lions having clinched a first-round bye, Montgomery will benefit from another week off before Detroit takes the field again Jan. 18 or Jan. 19.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Unsure about IR
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Lions coach Dan Campbell said Friday that the team hasn't made a decision about placing Montgomery (knee) on injured reserve, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.
Montgomery spent much of this week visiting medical experts and now believes he can return from his MCL injury before the end of the campaign without undergoing surgery. Placing him on injured reserve before Sunday's game against the Bears not only would rule Montgomery out for the rest of the regular season but also for Detroit's first game of the playoffs. Given that reality, he may be kept on the roster even if there's no chance he plays again through Week 18. The Lions won't have a playoff game until Jan. 18 or 19 if they earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC, giving Montgomery five weeks from the date of his initial injury to recover.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Seeking third opinion on injury
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Head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday that Montgomery (knee) is seeking a third opinion on his MCL injury, which is why the team has not yet placed him on injured reserve, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Campbell has already said Montgomery is expected to undergo season-ending surgery to address the MCL sprain in his right knee, but with Detroit gearing up to hopefully make a deep playoff push, the standout running back is leaving the door open for an alternative treatment plan. The expectation remains, though, that Montgomery will be shut down for the remainder of the 2024 campaign, leaving Jahmyr Gibbs atop the backfield, with Craig Reynolds and rookie Sione Vaki handling expanded depth roles.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Suffers potentially serious injury
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Montgomery (knee) sustained an MCL injury in his knee during Sunday's 48-42 loss to the Bills, the severity of which could be season ending, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Montgomery is undergoing additional tests on his knee Monday and will seek a second opinion on whatever initial results he receives, but Schefter reports that at this time the standout running back is considered out indefinitely. The Lions have yet to make an official announcement regarding Montgomery's status, but the severity of his knee injury ultimately may rule him out for the remainder of the regular season and thus the fantasy playoffs, if not the entire 2024 campaign. Montgomery's injury is the latest in a series of brutal blows for Detroit's roster, especially as the team works to mount an impactful playoff run. The lone bright spot for the Lions is that Jahmyr Gibbs remains a backfield option capable of thriving in a lead role. Beginning Sunday versus Chicago, though, it may fall to Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki to complement Gibbs in Montgomery's place.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Active on Thanksgiving
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Montgomery (shoulder) is active for Thursday's game against the Bears.
Montgomery exited this past Sunday's 24-6 win at Indianapolis late in the third quarter due to a shoulder injury and didn't return. Afterward, he told Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com that he believed the Lions made the right decision to rest him down the stretch and also that he intended to play Thursday. Detroit held walkthroughs during the entirety of Week 13 prep, and Montgomery followed a DNP/LP/FP practice regimen. It was enough for the sixth-year pro to be available, and he likely will retain his normal role in the backfield working in tandem with Jahmyr Gibbs, which has amounted to 169 touches for 873 yards from scrimmage and 11 rushing TDs for Montgomery in 11 appearances this season.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Listed as questionable
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Montgomery (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Bears.
Montgomery missed the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Colts but said afterward he would be ready by Thursday. It's not entirely clear his optimistic assessment was accurate, but the fact that the Lions listed him as a full practice participant Wednesday is a positive sign. However, the Lions held only walk-through practices on a short week, which means Montgomery didn't really get to test his injured shoulder in drills against teammates. Fantasy managers will want to check back for the final call on Montgomery's active status 90 minutes before the 12:30 p.m. ET kickoff Thursday.
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Lions' David Montgomery: Limited in Tuesday's walk-through
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The Lions listed Montgomery (shoulder) as a limited participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice.
After leaving early in Sunday's 24-6 win over the Colts with the shoulder issue, Montgomery's status is one to watch with the Lions facing a quick turnaround for Week 13 with a Thursday game against the Bears. The Lions aren't likely to hold any high-intensity practices during the short week, but Montgomery's improvement in being estimated as a non-participant Monday to a limited participant Tuesday is generally a positive sign. Head coach Dan Campbell told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press earlier Tuesday that he feels good about Montgomery's chances of playing in the Thanksgiving Day game.
