Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs: No. 3 Player Set for Biggest Year Yet

The Detroit Lions have high hopes for running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

After a phenomenal start to his career, the 2023 No. 12 overall pick will enter his fourth NFL season as the team's bona fide top option out of the backfield. He had spent the first three years working in tandem with David Montgomery, but the Lions dealt Montgomery to Houston this offseason.

As a result, Gibbs will enter this year as the bell-cow back for the first time in his career. Though he has proven plenty throughout the start of his career, he has a new challenge facing him in 2026. That's why he enters the season as the team's No. 3 most important player of the season.

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Why Gibbs is so important

The Lions' identity under head coach Dan Campbell has been to establish the run first, and Gibbs is the key to that. He is dynamic, with the ability to score every time he touches the ball being at the top of the list of his traits.

Gibbs also has the ability to contribute as a receiver, and the Lions have experimented with different schematic looks to create favorable matchups with him in the slot. Time will tell if they continue to do this under new coordinator Drew Petzing, but there's no question he will be a focal point of the offense.

The Alabama product has logged back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and with the trade of Montgomery will likely get an even bigger workload this season. Detroit felt comfortable dealing Montgomery because of how strongly Gibbs finished the year, as he had truly asserted himself as the alpha of the backfield.

Gibbs' strengths and weaknesses

Gibbs is one of the fastest running backs in the NFL, as he has elite breakaway speed. He had multiple carries where he reached over 22 miles per hour, including his game-winning 75-yard touchdown run against the New York Giants last season.

While his game is built around his speed, there is an element of physicality he has that has gone underrated. He averaged 2.95 yards after contact last year, which was the lowest of his three NFL seasons. That number could certainly go up in 2026.

Furthermore, Gibbs is a receiving threat out of the backfield. The Lions have leaned on him at times in the passing game, and he's always a threat on screens.

Gibbs is still improving in pass protection, which is an area that position coach Tashard Choice has emphasized with the entire running back room.

What happens if Gibbs gets hurt?

If Gibbs goes down, the Lions would turn to newly signed Isiah Pacheco. After beginning his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, Pacheco signed a one-year deal with Detroit this offseason to replace Montgomery.

Time will tell if the split between the two backs resembles that of Gibbs and Montgomery, but Pacheco will have a valuable role in 2026. He'll supplement Gibbs, as the Lions have always believed in a two-back system under Campbell's leadership and will do so with the hope of mitigating injury risk.

Sione Vaki is the leader to be the team's third running back, though Jacob Saylors was on the active roster for most of last season as a kick returner and could factor into the equation.

Why we ranked Gibbs here

As the bell-cow back for the first time in his career, Gibbs will have his biggest impact yet on Detroit's offense. The Lions will lean on him to carry a heavy workload, with the hopes that his athleticism and electric ability continues to shine.

There's also the fact that Gibbs is extension-eligible, and could reset the market for players at the position. As a result, he carries a ton of value not just for this season but for the future assuming a deal gets done eventually.

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