Gibbs Says He'd Draft Himself First Overall In Fantasy
Jahmyr Gibbs believes he belongs at the top of fantasy football draft boards this season. Asked Tuesday whether he'd take himself with the No. 1 pick, the Detroit Lions running back answered "for sure," according to the team's website, adding, "I'm either going to make a lot of people happy or mad."
The comment comes months after Detroit signed Gibbs to a three-year, $67.5 million extension in August, with an average annual value of $22.5 million that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Gibbs has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons, from 2023 through 2025. Last season he rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry, adding 77 receptions for 616 yards and five more scores. In 2024, he rushed for 1,412 yards and led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry. racing post greyhounds
Gibbs' workload is expected to grow further after Detroit traded veteran running back David Montgomery, who averaged 187.3 carries per season from 2023 to 2025, to the Houston Texans. Last season, Gibbs and Montgomery were the only Lions players with more than three carries, combining for 401 rushing attempts. The rest of Detroit's current running back room, Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki, has a combined nine career NFL carries. "I guess I'm getting most of the carries. I feel good about that," Gibbs said. "It's nothing I haven't done before. It's going to be cool."
The Lions enter the season under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, after firing John Morton following a 9-8 finish that kept Detroit out of the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Morton had replaced Ben Johnson, now head coach of the Chicago Bears. Detroit's rushing production slipped from fifth in the NFL in 2023 (135.9 yards per game) and sixth in 2024 (146.4) to 14th last season (120.1). The Lions open the 2026 regular season at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
