NFL Analyst Believes Jahmyr Gibbs Is 'Best Player' in NFC North

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, Jahmyr Gibbs has cemented his status as one of the NFL’s very best running backs.

The Detroit Lions lead back is coming off a season in which he amassed 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns on 243 carries, good for an average of 5.0 yards per rushing attempt. And for his efforts, he earned a third straight Pro Bowl nod and an 85.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the fifth-highest mark among 55 qualified running backs.

Various fans and pundits across the league have certainly taken notice of Gibbs’ high-level production, including popular NFL Network analyst Kyle Brandt.

On a recent episode of “Get Up” on ESPN, the “Good Morning Football” co-host raved about the 24-year-old back, calling him “the best player in the (NFC North) division.”

.@KyleBrandt sees the vision pic.twitter.com/fmXwKh6F24
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) July 23, 2026

Equipped with game-changing speed, Gibbs might also be the most explosive player in the division. The dual-threat runner is a threat to pull off a big play every single time he touches the football, having recorded an additional 616 yards and five scores as a receiver in 2025. Those were both career-best marks for the Alabama product.

Undoubtedly, he’s played an integral role in the Lions being a top-five offense each of the past three seasons, including the No. 4-ranked scoring attack a season ago (28.3 points/game).

If Dan Campbell’s squad makes any kind of a postseason run in 2026, Gibbs will unquestionably be crucial to that as well.

It begs the question: Will Detroit, after missing out on the playoffs a year ago, be able to make a serious playoff run this upcoming season?

Brandt, for one, doesn’t believe that will be the case.

“There’s a sensation with the Lions a little bit that they might’ve missed their shot. Campbell said it himself,” Brandt said. “After they lost that game to the Niners, he said to his team, ‘Guys, we may never get back here. I’ve got to be honest with you, this was our shot.’ I feel the same way about Jared Goff. Jared Goff had this moment. I love Goff, for a couple of years, he was maybe the man in the NFC. It’s just kind of gone, it’s very difficult to get back there. I like them in the North maybe, Greeny (Mike Greenberg), but not the NFC overall.”

The Lions will open the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, vs. the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field.

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