Ben Gretch endorsed drafting Jahmyr Gibbs aggressively, explaining that Detroit’s coaching staff has publicly committed to getting the ball in the back’s hands more often after labeling him 'unbelievably fast.' With Ben Johnson gone and John Morton taking over play-calling duties, Gretch expects additional designed touches, particularly in space and on angle routes that maximize Gibbs’ explosiveness. Because Jared Goff stays in structure and the Lions push tempo, Gretch projects high reception volume and weekly spike-play potential that is perfect for Best Ball tournaments.

Ben Gretch compared Jahmyr Gibbs to a "young Jamal Charles" and urged drafters to keep hammering him at a late-first/early-second ADP. Gibbs posted elite efficiency last season both on the ground and through the air, and Gretch stressed that Detroit’s offense is perfect for a receiving back: high play volume, a non-scrambling quarterback who checks down instead of taking sacks, and frequent shoot-outs created by a still-shaky defense. When David Montgomery missed time, Gibbs already flashed 25-point per-game upside; Gretch said those spike-weeks hint at a Christian McCaffrey-style season where Gibbs “gaps all the other RBs.” Even with Montgomery healthy, Detroit schemed touches for Gibbs and he remained a red-zone weapon. If Montgomery were to miss any games, that ceiling explodes, making Gibbs one of the few backs who can truly “break fantasy.”

Colm Kelly argued Jahmyr Gibbs is the most exciting first-round running back if fantasy managers ever get a full season of true workhorse usage out of him. Pointing to Gibbs’ explosive finish to 2024, Kelly said the sophomore’s ceiling in the Lions offense is "huge" and would make him the most electrifying RB prospect he’s backed in years. Although Kelly admitted he’s reluctant to spend a top-three overall pick on any running back, he’s willing to draft Gibbs at the back of Round 1 because the combination of elite pass-game ability and the possibility Detroit finally unleashes him could produce a season-defining edge.

Because he draws the 1.06 slot only 4 % of the time, Overzet sits at just 6 % Gibbs exposure—his lowest among Round-1 backs. He plans to correct that by targeting Gibbs in a single high-dollar contest like the $500 Big Dog. One share there would meaningfully raise his fee-weight exposure without forcing a flurry of additional low-stakes drafts, ensuring portfolio leverage on a back he "loves."

Best Ball Guy said the Lions’ offensive environment will quietly tilt in Jahmyr Gibbs’ favor this season. With play-caller Ben Johnson gone and one of Detroit’s premier offensive linemen now elsewhere, he expects the unit to be less efficient overall, which in turn forces the staff to funnel touches to dynamic playmakers rather than pounding David Montgomery between the tackles. BBG predicted Montgomery will "look a little more human" and no longer sustain 5.0 yards per carry, opening the door for Gibbs to finally see the workload that matches his first-round draft capital. In his view, the second-year back’s combination of receiving chops and explosiveness makes him the logical focal point when the Lions need to manufacture offense, giving Gibbs a clear path to outperform his current best-ball ADP even if Montgomery stays healthy all year.

Jim Coventry warned that Jahmyr Gibbs is being overdrafted because people are chasing the 33.3 PPR points he averaged in the three playoff-run games David Montgomery missed. In the first 13 contests with Montgomery active, Gibbs produced a still-solid but far less league-tilting 18.3 PPR points. Coventry expects another near-even workload split because Montgomery is, in his words, “the heart and soul of the offense” and was signed to a new deal. The analyst added that Detroit’s once-dominant interior line took a major hit with Frank Ragnow retiring and inexperienced Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge stepping in, a downgrade that could crater the efficiency that made Gibbs pop. With fewer guaranteed touches and weaker blocking, Coventry believes Gibbs’ ADP bakes in a ceiling he is unlikely to reach.

Sean Koerner highlighted Jahmyr Gibbs as a rare first-round running back whose ceiling actually expands if his backfield mate goes down. Koerner noted that most early picks—Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, etc.—cannot add meaningful value when their backups get hurt, but Gibbs could hit an even higher gear if David Montgomery misses time. The new coaching staff might also scrap last year’s near 50-50 split and simply ride Gibbs, handing him a higher percentage of goal-line work. Koerner called that combination of existing first-round floor plus contingent workload spike "clear RB1 overall" upside. Because drafters need a specific slot to land Gibbs while Montgomery is available later, Koerner is comfortable paying full freight, reasoning that Gibbs’s profile offers more room to beat ADP than almost any other top-five back in best ball tournaments.

Because he’s only drawn the 1.06 slot 4% of the time, Overzet’s portfolio shows just 6% Jahmyr Gibbs exposure—lowest among Round-1 backs. His plan is to correct in a single stroke by selecting Gibbs in one of Underdog’s high-entry “Big Dog” drafts ($500 buy-in). That would spike his fee exposure without forcing him to chase shares across dozens of low-dollar entries, a tactic he thinks grinders should emulate when they’re light on a favorite early-round player.

Whalen slotted Jahmyr Gibbs as his RB2. He acknowledged Detroit’s offensive line is no longer the fortress it was the past two seasons and that OC Ben Johnson’s departure could ding overall efficiency, yet believes the Lions *need* Gibbs’ explosiveness and target-earning skills to offset any passing-game drop-off. Even if 2024 felt like a best-case outcome, Whalen thinks Gibbs can largely replicate the 1,300 scrimmage yards and strong PPR production that made him a league winner last year, keeping him firmly in the elite tier.

Best Ball Guy urged viewers to smash Jahmyr Gibbs at the very top of BBM drafts—he said he wishes he had the guts to take the second-year back with every pick from 1.01 through 1.06. His pitch: Ben Johnson is done with gadget plays that funnel touches to sixth offensive linemen and WR3s; the staff wants the ball in the hands of “the fastest guy in the NFL.” Gibbs already averaged 5.2 YPC and caught 52 passes as a rookie, and Best Ball Guy expects Detroit to lean even harder on him after seeing how explosive he was down the stretch (20.3 half-PPR points per game Weeks 12-17). He claimed the Lions’ playoff slate (Vikings, Bears, 49ers) sets up for run-centric scripts and called Gibbs “probably a better pick than Ja’Marr Chase.” Because uniqueness matters, he’s targeting 25-percent exposure to capitalize on what he believes will be a true bell-cow workload paired with elite efficiency.

Evan Silva said he has Jahmyr Gibbs ranked No. 1 overall in Best Ball Mania drafts. Silva expects new offensive coordinator John Morton to operate a far less distributive scheme than Ben Johnson, stream-lining touches toward Detroit’s most explosive players. He compared the second-year back’s potential usage to past feature weapons like Jamal Charles and Chris Johnson and believes people will consider Gibbs the best running back in the NFL by season’s end. Silva still sees some short-yardage value for David Montgomery but is betting on a true feature-back workload and league-winning efficiency from Gibbs.

Andy Holloway urged drafters to pump the brakes on taking Jahmyr Gibbs inside the top five overall. Holloway expects a "slightly bigger lean" toward Gibbs in year two but does not see Detroit abandoning David Montgomery at the goal line. He reminded listeners that Gibbs did not crack the positional top-10 until Week 7 and managed that feat only four times while Montgomery was healthy. When Monty missed late in the season, Gibbs exploded for 29.3 half-PPR points a game, underscoring how dependent his ceiling remains on an injury or major philosophical shift near the stripe. With Ben Johnson gone, a downgraded offensive line, and likely touchdown regression after last year’s league-leading 33.7 points per game, Holloway believes Gibbs needs far more volume than he is projected to receive to justify RB3 pricing in season-long or best-ball drafts.

Evan Silva planted a massive flag on Jahmyr Gibbs, proclaiming him the No. 1 overall player on his board and predicting he will be regarded as the league’s best running back by season’s end. Silva cited new OC John Morton’s plan to ‘streamline’ the offense around its most explosive weapons— specifically Gibbs and Jamison Williams— unlike Ben Johnson’s egalitarian approach that funneled red-zone looks to linemen. Drawing historical parallels such as Jamaal Charles overtaking Thomas Jones and Chris Johnson dusting LenDale White, Silva believes Gibbs will similarly separate from David Montgomery, who he now values only as an RB3/FLEX. The second-year back’s elite receiving skills and home-run rushing ability position him for a workload surge, and Silva expects a mid-season touch consolidation that unlocks overall RB1 production for both DFS slates and season-long leagues.

Pat Kerrane argued that Jahmyr Gibbs should be going ahead of Christian McCaffrey in Best Ball Mania drafts. Gibbs is a 22-year-old ascending star who has already turned limited rookie usage into consecutive smash fantasy seasons; the only real risk is that David Montgomery refuses to cede work. Even a modest bump to 65 % snaps would make Gibbs a weekly RB1, and an 80 % share would make him ‘the guy you need’ in 2024. McCaffrey, by contrast, carries multiple red flags—a 28-year-old back with extreme mileage, lingering soft-tissue concerns, and a 49ers offense overloaded with mouths to feed. Kerrane is tilting his early-first exposures toward wideouts (Jefferson, Lamb, Chase) and hammering Gibbs in the late-first whenever the room lets him, aiming for double-digit Gibbs ownership while staying merely market-level on McCaffrey and Bijan.

Best Ball Guy declared he is actively steering his early-round exposure toward Jahmyr Gibbs and away from Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Bijan Robinson. He wants to be "on the right side of history," envisioning an Alvin Kamara-style eruption: roughly 108 targets, 85 receptions, 800 rushing yards, another 700 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns. His justification is straight-forward—Detroit’s offensive line is already banged up and Ben Johnson is gone, so the coaching staff will lean on its most explosive player to keep the offense on schedule. With David Montgomery offering little juice behind a compromised line, Eric thinks the Lions will have no choice but to feature Gibbs heavily in both phases, giving him a realistic RB1 overall ceiling at a late-first/early-second ADP.

Jake Ciely kept Jahmyr Gibbs as his RB3 but said this is where he stops hammering running back and starts considering elite wideouts like Ja'Marr Chase and CeeDee Lamb. Ciely reminded listeners that explosive efficiency—Gibbs averaged 5.5 YPC and ranked top-5 in most advanced rushing metrics—doesn’t guarantee a bigger workload the next season, citing Jalen Warren’s tiny usage bump after a similar breakout. He expects a 60/40-ish split to remain because Detroit still trusts a now-28-year-old David Montgomery at the goal line, and the offense could regress with OC Ben Johnson gone. Bottom line: Gibbs has a mid-RB1 floor and overall RB1 ceiling, but weekly volatility makes him a slight step below Bijan and Saquon and opens the door to grabbing a stud WR in Round 1.

Ian Hartitz called Jahmyr Gibbs a locked-in top-three running back even with David Montgomery healthy. Gibbs was already the RB5 in PPR points per game before Montgomery’s late-season injury and then flashed overall RB1 upside when DeMont missed time. Hartitz pointed out that Detroit has been a top-five scoring offense three years running, and he expects new OC Tanner Engstrand to emphasize Gibbs’ explosive skill set while a now-28-year-old Montgomery handles more grinder work. Projection: Gibbs’ floor is a mid-tier RB1 with ~18 touches per game; the ceiling is a league-winning workhorse if the split tilts as far as 70/30 in his favor or if Montgomery misses any time.

Best Ball Guy urged drafters to smash Jahmyr Gibbs at his current late-Round-1 price on DraftKings. He pointed to Detroit’s worsening offensive line—center Frank Ragnow is already out and the unit looks "a little bit worse"—as a catalyst for a massive receiving workload. Pulling up Alvin Kamara’s 2017 RB1 line (187 carries, 107 targets, 83 catches, 750 receiving yards), he said a nearly identical distribution is in play if Jared Goff has to pepper quick outlets and Ben Johnson keeps scheming Gibbs into space. Because half-PPR drafts on DraftKings offer value receivers every round, locking in Gibbs as an anchor RB now secures both elite ceiling and likely closing-line value before the market fully prices in the Kamara-style upside.

Best Ball Guy walked through a tongue-in-cheek but actionable fade of David Montgomery and, by extension, a bullish case on Jahmyr Gibbs. Montgomery is already dealing with a minor knee issue and—according to an anecdote from a viewer who saw him eating Detroit-style pizza—may not be treating the inflammation seriously. If Montgomery’s knee nags through camp, Gibbs would capture a larger share of the rushing workload while also benefitting from more check-down targets behind a weakened offensive line that forces Jared Goff to get the ball out quickly. The tout compared the potential usage spike to Alvin Kamara’s early-career target bonanza and said investors could be staring at a full-blown Gibbs breakout in Year 3 at a late-second-round ADP.

Evan Silva said he is taking Jahmyr Gibbs first overall in every draft. He expects new OC John Morton to abandon Ben Johnson’s spread-the-wealth philosophy and instead funnel touches to Detroit’s most explosive weapons. Silva believes the Lions will regress from 12-5 to something like 10-7 because they face the NFL’s third-hardest schedule and lost key linemen Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler, forcing more pass-heavy, come-from-behind game scripts. Those interior-line problems hurt David Montgomery’s between-the-tackles role far more than Gibbs, who thrives in space and already posted an 8.8 yards-per-target rate on early downs—higher than Amon-Ra St. Brown. Silva compared the potential breakout to Chris Johnson pulling away from LenDale White and Jamaal Charles leaving Thomas Jones in the dust, adding that if goal-line touches tilt to Gibbs or Montgomery misses time, Gibbs would jump from RB3 usage to the overall RB1 on a weekly basis.

Nez argued that Gibbs offers both a sky-high floor and an ‘astronomical’ ceiling at his late–first ADP because David Montgomery’s knee remains a lingering issue. He reminded listeners that Montgomery was initially thought to need surgery for the MCL/meniscus injury, then rushed back for the playoffs, and medical analyst Jeff Mueller still expects lingering limitations. If Montgomery is even 80 % or loses a step, Ben Johnson can simply shift more early-down and green-zone work to Gibbs, who already owns the passing-down role. Nez said the mean projection gap between Gibbs and the other Round-1 backs is minimal, yet the contingency-based upside is far larger, making Gibbs a perfect ‘anchor RB’ in true zero-RB or hero-RB Best Ball builds.

Jon Warner defended selecting Jahmyr Gibbs as high as pick 1.02, noting the sophomore back lives in a “tight band” of ADP from 1.06-1.08 despite having a realistic path to match or outscore Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley. Warner dislikes the running-back pocket that comes back to drafters picking from the 1.02 slot in Rounds 4-6, so anchoring the roster with Gibbs solves that structural problem while delivering uniqueness in Best Ball Mania. He emphasized Gibbs’ dual-threat ceiling on a Lions offense that finished third in red-zone trips last year, arguing that a full offseason of creative packages with Ben Johnson could push Gibbs past 275 touches. Because the later backs feel like reach-dependent committee bets, Warner is comfortable flipping the board for an elite RB who owns both efficiency and volume upside.

JJ Zachariason said he intentionally selected Jahmyr Gibbs over Bijan Robinson at pick 1.04 in his 60-plus DraftKings Milly Maker best-ball draft because Gibbs offers superior spike-week potential. He acknowledged Robinson is probably the steadier season-long play, but argued Gibbs’ explosive receiving profile and the contingent upside if David Montgomery misses time give him a higher weekly ceiling—exactly what wins in best ball tournaments. Zachariason added that this pick helped balance his overall exposure, as he had been light on Gibbs shares to this point.

Jagger May advised selecting Jahmyr Gibbs ahead of Saquon Barkley if you sit at pick 1.02 or 1.03. He noted only one back has repeated as RB1 in the last decade, so chasing new upside matters. Gibbs flashed overall-RB1 production when David Montgomery missed time, averaging 25.6 PPR points in that stretch. A new offensive coordinator could scrap last year’s strict two-back rotation and lean into Gibbs’ elite receiving skill set, giving him both target and touchdown equity that can break leagues.

Cody Woodman urged drafters to pump the brakes on Jahmyr Gibbs at his current first-round ADP. Woodman highlighted three red flags: (1) All-Pro center Frank Ragnow’s surprise retirement forces Detroit to start a rookie in the middle of an interior already relying on a second-year guard and 35-year-old Graham Glasgow, a stark downgrade from last year’s elite unit that helped Gibbs average 5.2 YPC; (2) Offensive mastermind Ben Johnson, who designed the motion-heavy looks that freed Gibbs for chunk plays and red-zone angles, has departed, and Woodman is skeptical Dan Campbell will maintain the same creative usage; (3) Detroit’s overall offensive efficiency could regress with multiple line shuffles, meaning fewer scoring drives and high-value touches. Woodman still likes Gibbs’ talent but projected a 10–15% dip in both receptions and touchdown equity, making him a volatile bet for teams that need steady elite production in Weeks 15-17.

Explaining his pick at slot four, Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said he now ranks Jahmyr Gibbs ahead of Justin Jefferson and every non-Christian McCaffrey running back in Underdog’s Eliminator contest. Pat stressed that running backs are being drafted aggressively in the format—"RBs go quick; they’re ranked up the board"—so passing on an anchor early leaves managers scrambling for sketchy committees later. He noted that McCaffrey’s Eliminator ADP has already climbed to five (from eight overall), which signals the market’s willingness to chase elite RB touches. Because Gibbs offers both reception volume and explosive long-play equity inside Detroit’s dome schedule, Pat believes locking him in at 1.04 creates a structural advantage and frees drafters to hammer wideouts through the next three rounds while the rest of the room fights over declining backs.

Chris Raybon said the Lions’ third-round selection of Arkansas wideout Isaac Teslaw — a receiver praised mostly for his run-blocking — signals that Detroit may lean even harder on the ground game under new OC John Morton. Raybon noted that Teslaw’s blocking chops plus Ben Johnson’s departure make it logical to shift volume toward the backfield. A heavier run rate would funnel extra carries and screens to Jahmyr Gibbs, who already owns the league’s fourth-highest explosive-run rate (12% of totes went 10+ yards). Raybon called Gibbs the primary beneficiary of a "keep it on schedule" offense, projecting a bump from last year’s 14.5 touches per game to 17-18 and reinforcing him as a second-round smash in both best-ball and season-long formats.

When Christian McCaffrey fell to 1.06, Pat Fantasy Dog Pound still said, “I’m probably still going Gibbs there,” emphasizing how quickly running backs fly off the board in the Eliminator. He believes grabbing Gibbs at that spot locks in the weekly floor/ceiling combo required to survive the early multi-team eliminations while leaving enough salary flexibility to chase value pockets later. Paying full freight for CMC, in his view, constrains roster construction at other positions precisely when running backs are already inflated in price compared to wide receivers.

Billy Jones said he is willing to grab Jahmyr Gibbs as early as the 1.07 because he sees a realistic path to overall RB1 production in 2024. Jones acknowledged that Gibbs’ efficiency-driven 20-TD rookie year probably regresses, but argued the slack can be picked up by a bigger workload. David Montgomery turns 28 in June and already saw his snap share dip from 61 % in Weeks 1-9 to 47 % once Gibbs emerged. Jones expects Ben Johnson to flip another 3-4 touches per game Gibbs’ way, putting him in the 275-opportunity range that historically produces top-3 fantasy seasons in half-PPR. Add in Detroit’s league-best 64 % red-zone TD rate and Gibbs’ elite 18 % target-per-route rate, and Jones believes the sophomore back easily beats his late-first ADP in Best Ball Mania rooms.

Andy Holloway urged drafters not to extrapolate Jahmyr Gibbs’ late‑season nuclear stretch into 2025 projections. With David Montgomery healthy, Gibbs averaged only 16.9 opportunities and 16.9 half‑PPR points per game—good but nowhere near the 30‑point explosions he posted during Montgomery’s Weeks 15‑18 absence when touches spiked to 23.3. Holloway expects Detroit’s total touchdowns to regress after leading the league last year, noting Jared Goff’s TD rate jumped from 5 % to almost 7 % and the Lions lost OC Ben Johnson. Even if rushing scores don’t simply replace passing scores, Holloway believes overall team scoring will dip, further limiting Gibbs’ path to top‑3 returns. He still loves the back’s league‑leading EPA per play but slots him closer to RB6‑7 unless the Lions signal a philosophical shift away from Montgomery.

Mike Wright bumped Jahmyr Gibbs all the way to RB2 on his early board, pointing to a league‑best EPA per play that was almost double Barkley’s. Gibbs also ranked #1 in Success Rate among backs with 250‑plus touches and was the only player in the top tier to offer both 70‑target receiving upside and true home‑run speed. Wright acknowledged David Montgomery is still around but argued that Detroit’s offense produced enough high‑value touches to sustain two backs last year. Gibbs’ efficiency profile—69‑target pace, top‑three explosive‑play rate—and his age‑24 breakout window give him both a stable PPR floor and week‑winning upside. Wright advises locking him in as a back‑half Round‑1 pick in redraft and a priority RB anchor in Best‑Ball tournaments.