David Montgomery is commonly my 3rd or even 4th running back on one of my teams, but I'm planning to include him in my lineup this week. It's a good situation for Detroit's No. 2.
The Lions come off an ugly loss at Philadelphia, but they've got a different kind of situation this week. They're home and favored by 10.5 against the Giants. It's a game they should be winning and putting up big team numbers, and that usually means very good things for Montgomery.
In Detroit's four losses this season, Montgomery has been very quiet. He's scored only 1 touchdown, and averaged 29 rushing yards.
| MONTGOMERY IN LOSSES | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opp | Result | Att | Run | TD | No | Rec | |
| at G.B. | L, 13-27 | 11 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 18 | |
| at K.C. | L, 17-30 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 37 | |
| Min. | L, 24-27 | 11 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 10 | |
| at Phi. | L, 9-16 | 6 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| Average | 8 | 29 | 0.25 | 2.3 | 19 | ||
In Detroit's six wins, on the other hand, Montgomery has averaged more than twice as many rushing yards while scoring 4 touchdowns. The dud against Cleveland hurts the averages, but that's one of the league's best defenses this season. Giants have one of the worst.
| MONTGOMERY IN WINS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opp | Result | Att | Run | TD | No | Rec | |
| Chi. | W, 52-21 | 11 | 57 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| at Bal. | W, 38-30 | 12 | 151 | 2 | 1 | 13 | |
| CLE | W, 34-10 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| at Cin. | W, 37-24 | 18 | 65 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| T.B. | W, 24-9 | 13 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 18 | |
| at Was. | W, 44-22 | 15 | 71 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Average | 13 | 63 | 0.67 | 1 | 7 | ||
If you start Montgomery this week, you're not getting his Baltimore game. Jahmyr Gibbs will be the main back. But those Chicago, Cincinnati and Washington games, with Montgomery going for 60-70 total yards and probably scoring; that's pretty reasonable against the Giants.
--Andy Richardson
12 Reader Comments:
Eric Pryne
Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)
Paul Desimone
Paul Desimone
Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)
Paul Desimone
Edward Shin
Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)
The question is if you traded him now what would you get for him? It isn’t like everybody isn’t aware is quarterback is struggling to throw for 150 yards. If you could trade him for somebody we have ranked higher in the latest redrafter then sure. But you’re not getting the value of where he was drafted three months ago, but maybe you can get somebody you’d be happier about starting.
Matt Morse
Baltimore was really beat up that week or he just got lucky. NYs defense to me more closely resembles Wash. where he got lots of touches but still less than 4 ypc. Who you benching to put this guy in?
Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)
He's scored in three of the six wins, and if we just look at four games against bad defenses (leaving out Cleveland and Tampa Bay), like the Giants, he's scored in three of four, rushing for 57, 151, 65 and 71.
My running backs in this league are Jacobs, Javonte, Marks and Montgomery. If Jacobs were healthy, I suppose Monty would be on my bench, but in this case he'll be starting in the flex with my feeling good he'll be scoring and getting me 12-15 points.
Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)
Dan Meyer