The Lions selected Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Georgia Tech speedster took a chance on himself in 2022 by transferring to SEC powerhouse Alabama. The gamble paid off as Gibbs led the Crimson Tide with 44 receptions and ranked 4th on the team in receiving yards (444). Oh, and he’s an excellent runner as well. Some will question how much of a rushing workload he’ll be able to manage at the NFL level given his 5’9, 199-pound frame, but don’t count Gibbs out because of his size. He shows excellent vision at the 2nd and 3rd levels of the field, possesses plenty of speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash time), and has a keen sense of timing cuts against potential tacklers. This move makes it likely that the Lions will move on from D’Andre Swift. Gibbs would then enter a clear change-of-pace role behind David Montgomery while handling a healthy receiving role. Current projections have him for 56 receptions.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs played well behind RB David Montgomery in Thursday night's win over the Packers. Montgomery, back from his thigh injury, carried a whopping 32 times, including eight times inside Green Bay's 10-yard line. Gibbs totaled just eight carries, with none of those coming inside the 10. The rookie was efficient, totaling 40 yards on 5.0 yards per carry. And he added four catches on five targets for 11 yards. But this was not the usage fantasy owners who spent a third or fourth-round pick on Gibbs were looking for. He's now totaled just 15 carries and seven targets in two full games with Montgomery. Gibbs' role might grow over the course of the season, but the 3-1 Lions have no reason to divert from their current plan right now. Gibbs at least gets a plus Week 5 matchup vs. the Panthers' 29th-ranked RB defense, but it'll be tough to consider him more than a RB3.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs racked up 17 carries in Sunday's win over the Falcons vs. just seven total for RBs Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight. The rookie totaled 80 rushing yards for a solid 4.7 yards per carry. But he didn't find the end zone, despite three carries inside the Atlanta 10-yard line. And Gibbs surprisingly caught just one of two targets for two yards. It was an underwhelming fantasy outing but encouraging usage. If RB David Montgomery remains out for Week 4, Gibbs will again land in RB1 territory in our rankings.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to get "the majority of the work" against the Falcons today. "They are still going to play multiple backs," Pelissero adds. "They don't want to wear Gibbs out." Don't expect 20+ carries for the rookie. But even 12-15 -- along with heavy involvement in the passing game -- would make Gibbs an easy RB1.

Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official website expects RB Jahmyr Gibbs to get around 15 carries vs. the Falcons on Sunday. If the rookie gets that type of rushing volume -- to go along with his big role in the passing game -- he could be in line for a breakout Week 3. Gibbs is a must-start in season-long fantasy leagues and a recommended play in DFS tournaments.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs was again used sparingly in the running game in the Week 2 overtime loss to the Seahawks, finishing with just seven carries. He was heavily involved in the passing game, though, leading Detroit with nine targets. He caught seven of them but unfortunately managed just 39 receiving yards. And he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry on the ground. We'd certainly expect better efficiency going forward. But it's clear that the Lions want to limit Gibb's rushing volume. Even after RB David Montgomery left this one with a thigh injury, RB Craig Reynolds started mixing in on early downs. It's a frustrating situation for fantasy owners. But if Gibbs is going to get anything close to this level of target volume, he can still pay off in fantasy.