Final Update: The game has wrapped and the Lions picked up a big win on the road. They did have a late lead, so they had the benefit of trying to run out the clock, inflating some of the rushing totals. David Montgomery dominated the backfield work. He played 55 snaps compared to 19 for Gibbs.
Montgomery finished with 74 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. Gibbs ran the ball seven times for 42 yards and brought in both targets for 18 additional yards. Despite Monty running 20 routes, he didn’t receive any targets. Gibbs ran nine routes and had two targets.
The Detroit Lions completely changed their backfield this offseason by signing free agent David Montgomery and drafting Jahmyr Gibbs, while letting Jamaal Williams go in free agency and trading D’Andre Swift. The Lions selected Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Lions RB usage in Week 1 vs. Chiefs
Through the first half of the season opener, Montgomery has dominated snaps, but Gibbs has seen work on his limited snaps.
Lions halftime HB snap count
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) September 8, 2023
David Montgomery 28
Jahmyr Gibbs 11
Out of 37 plays
So far, Montgomery has 9 carries for 33 yards and has not seen a target, while Gibbs has 3 carries for 18 yards and has caught both his targets for 18 more yards.
We also didn’t see Gibbs during their two-minute offense, which isn’t a great sign, but his usage when on the field has been good and he’s proven he’s worth getting the ball to. Gibbs fantasy managers might be a little frustrated, but you can’t be frustrated with the way he has looked with the ball in his hands.
