Both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have proven to be very capable and reliable receiving threats.

Gibbs made a ton of catches down the field in training camp and I think that's something we could see that is a little unconventional from other pass-catching backs around the league.

Writer Tim Twentyman went on to say Gibbs, in particular, "might be the best pass catching running back I've seen in Detroit in my 15 years covering the team. He's got natural hands and is a terrific route runner." With wide receiver Jameson Williams suspended and DJ Chark no longer in Detroit, Twentyman said vertical threats don't have to be receivers so that's one thing to watch out for with Gibbs.

As the Lions’ RB competition unfolded, there weren’t many players who separated themselves. Injuries to Jermar Jefferson and Mohamed Ibrahim didn’t help, and the sudden retirement of Justin Jackson came as a surprise. When Craig Reynolds got the bulk of the carries in the first half of the preseason, it felt like you could pencil him in as RB3. However, the Lions’ initial 53-man roster has just two true running backs: Montgomery and Gibbs.

Not that many were worried about either option coming off the field after they spent so much monetary and draft capital on the two, but it's still a relief to know they're not part of a three-back rotation. It sounds as if Reynolds could be back on the team, as he's not subject to waivers. There will likely eventually be an RB3 on the roster, but it's clearly an afterthought for the team.

The Lions are receiving a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-rounder (No. 219) this year, while the Eagles get D'Andre Swift and Detroit's seventh-round pick (No. 249).

Related Players: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott

Swift has had quite the Draft weekend after Detroit snagged Gibbs incredibly early in the proceedings. The writing was on the wall, and now he joins a moderately crowded backfield in Philadelphia. The move doesn't necessarily kill the value of Penny, because the team was practically guaranteed to add someone due to Penny's extensive injury history.

Scott and Gainwell, on the other hand, will once again be on the outside looking in, in terms of fantasy viability.

Saints and former Lions’ RB Jamaal Williams have agreed on a 3-year deal for $12 million, including $8 million fully guaranteed.

Related Players: D'Andre Swift, David Montgomery, Alvin Kamara

The writing was on the wall after the Lions signed David Montgomery, so Williams is off to New Orleans. Considering the Saints' current depth chart and the likely discipline that Alvin Kamara is facing, Jamaal has a great shot at carving out a large role with the Saints.

Lions and former Bears’ RB David Montgomery reached an agreement on a three-year, $18 million deal, including $11 million guaranteed.

Related Players: D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert

Per the 4for4 Free Agent tracker, the $11M guaranteed cash is the fourth-most among free-agent running backs since 2020. He should take on the Jamaal Williams role, which resulted in 17 touchdowns in 2022. Chicago has a load of draft picks, so look for them to address their RB needs with a rookie.

Khalil Herbert is being activated from IR, while Chase Claypool and N'Keal Harry should be on track to play Saturday. The news on Teven Jenkins is "encouraging" per Eberflus.

Related Players: David Montgomery

The 2021 sixth-round selection was having a great year up until Week 10, including a 20-157-2 performance in Week 3 and a 16-99-1 performance in Week 8, the latter of which came with David Montgomery in the lineup. Montgomery should hold on to the team's RB1 role, but his ceiling his further capped with Herbert's return.

The Chicago Bears are placing running back Khalil Herbert on injured reserve, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

Related players: David Montgomery, Trestan Ebner, Darrynton Evans, Justin Fields

Herbert suffered a hip injury in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions. With Herbert landing on IR, he’ll have to miss the next four games. He’s eligible to return in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills, the story said - which is smack in the middle of the fantasy playoffs. Look for Montgomery to get an increased workload with Ebner and Evans battling for carries behind Monty. Of course Fields has been leading the way on the ground over the past several weeks.

Eberflus said the Bears really like their 1-2 punch with David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert.

The two backs were relatively even with rushing attempts vs. NE, the tweet pointed out. "We're going to continue to do that...going to continue to use both of those guys." This is probably considered bad news for Montgomery owners as Herbert's usage has been on the rise as of late, meaning Monty's is on the decline. Both can probably be in the lower-end RB2 or flex conversation.

The Bears had an extended break to prepare to face the Patriots after losing to the Commanders on Thursday night in Week 6 and one of the tweaks they made to their offense was expanding the amount of designed runs for quarterback Justin Fields.

Fields made the most of those opportunities and finished the night with 14 carries for 82 yards, including five third-down runs that turned into first downs. The added wrinkle of Fields running the ball had a ripple effect on the entire offense. David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert had strong nights running the ball while Fields converted five more third downs by throwing the ball.

Other reports said Fields had 11 designed runs on the right. Next up for the Bears is the Cowboys on the road in Week 8. With his rushing totals alone, Fields becomes a relevant QB option in just about any style of league, especially if you've been riding with Russell Wilson or Matt Ryan to this point.

“We're going to go with the hot hand,” said HC Matt Eberflus when asked about the team’s running back rotation moving forward. “Who's ever hot right there, we're going to stay with him and go from there.”

Related players: David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert

A hot hand approach signifies a slight change, according to the story. Previously the Bears had deployed a steady rotation between David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. The Bears would give Montgomery two or three series in a row, then use Herbert for one series to give Montgomery a breather. After six games, however, it’s Herbert’s 6.4 YPC average that’s outpaced Montgomery’s 4.0 rate, the story added. The story also said Monty is a better pass blocker and could still be a bell cow, but it seems like if Herbert gets into a groove, he'll likely get more opportunities.