Jahmyr Gibbs Lands Record RB Deal — Now He's the Lions' Bell Cow
Detroit's new $67.5M pact makes Gibbs the NFL's highest-paid back, and with Montgomery gone, his fantasy ceiling just got a lot taller.
Bell-cow role plus record deal points to a workload spike.
- 3-year, $67.5M deal, up to $75.75M with $51.5M guaranteed
- Tops Bijan Robinson's $66.75M from two days prior
- 5.3 yards per carry across three seasons
- 367 PPR pts in 2025 (actual), our RB3
- Montgomery gone to Houston — workload set to climb
The running back market moved twice this week, and Detroit made sure it moved last. Just two days after Bijan Robinson reset the position with a three-year, $66.75 million deal, the Lions signed Jahmyr Gibbs to a three-year pact worth $67.5 million — up to $75.75 million with incentives, including $51.5 million guaranteed. That makes Gibbs the highest-paid running back in NFL history, at least until someone else grabs the crown next week.
This is money earned. The 2023 12th overall pick has averaged 1,745 scrimmage yards per season across three years, piled up 49 total touchdowns, and posted a ridiculous 5.3 yards per carry. He did all that while splitting carries with David Montgomery. Our database had Gibbs at 367 PPR points in 2025 (actual) — RB3 in our rankings, a hair behind Robinson's 369 — and he got there in a timeshare.
Montgomery's Gone, and That Changes Everything
Montgomery is now in Houston (our RB27, 165 PPR points in 2025), which clears the biggest obstacle between Gibbs and a monster workload. Dan Campbell has already called Gibbs the offense's bell cow going forward, saying he can run every scheme in the book — inside, outside, gap, zone — and that Detroit plans to lean on him heavily. When a coach hands you a record contract and the keys to the backfield in the same offseason, that's about as clear a signal as you'll get.
Gibbs is the second member of that 2023 Lions draft class to cash in, joining linebacker Jack Campbell, who got four years and $81 million earlier this offseason. GM Brad Holmes has flagged tight end Sam LaPorta and safety Brian Branch as next in line, though Campbell hinted Detroit may wait to see Branch fully recover from a torn Achilles before committing. For fantasy purposes, LaPorta (our TE26, 107 PPR points across just nine games in 2025) is the name to file away — a healthy season and a new deal could push him back into relevance.
The Fantasy Takeaway
The one wrinkle: Gibbs' form dipped late in 2025, running 2.3 fantasy points below his season average over his final five games. Don't overthink it. The contract, the vacated Montgomery touches, and Campbell's stated intent to feed him all point the same direction. If a manager in your league is nervous about that cold stretch or a possible ADP bump, this is the moment to buy. Gibbs is a locked-in first-round pick with genuine RB1 overall upside for 2026 — target him, don't fade him.
