Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: David Montgomery Vs. Aaron Jones

David Montgomery and Aaron Jones are going off the board at the same ADP — here’s who fantasy football managers should target in PPR leagues for 2025.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) warms up before the NFC divisional round at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For those employing a zero running back strategy or looking in the middle rounds for their RB2, two veterans are going off the board at almost the exact same ADP: the Detroit Lions’ David Montgomery and Minnesota Vikings RB Aaron Jones. With the NFL season just a few days away, we take a look at which veteran fantasy managers should target in the sixth round of PPR leagues.

David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

Montgomery’s time in Chicago was steady, but not spectacular. In 2022, he logged a 64.6% snap share despite missing time with an ankle injury, racking up 1,117 total yards for his fourth straight season over the 1,000-yard mark. He handled 234 touches, scored six times, and caught 34 passes, though he topped 100 rushing yards just once and delivered only a single game north of 20 fantasy points (Week 11).

The move to Detroit gave him a fresh start with an up-and-coming offense. Over his first four games with the Lions, Montgomery exploded for 371 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and chipped in another 47 yards through the air — good for 20.7 fantasy points per game. Injuries (ribs, knee) forced him to miss three contests and cut another short, but he still finished 2023 with 15 touchdowns and 208.6 PPR points, ranking 17th among running backs.

Down the stretch, his production dropped significantly. Across his final 12 games (including the playoffs), Montgomery managed 909 yards and nine scores on 180 touches, with just two games over the 100-yard mark. His monster performance came in Week 4 when he dominated Green Bay for 141 total yards and three touchdowns, but otherwise he was more of a consistent presence than one with massive upside. He caught two or fewer passes in 15 of 17 outings, proving he’s not the PPR menace that his teammate Jahmyr Gibbs is. 

In 2024, Detroit fed Monty RB1 snaps in the early season (351 yards and six touchdowns over his first five games) but gradually shifted toward Gibbs. Over his last 10 contests, Montgomery averaged 13.7 fantasy points per game — solid, but not league-winning — and missed most of the final five games of the season with knee issues, which is when Gibbs really erupted. 

Montgomery’s goal-line role is secure, which always keeps him relevant. Still, he’s not a big-play threat and rarely clears 100 rushing yards without heavy volume. He’s currently being selected as the RB25 in high-stakes leagues, which feels like a fair price. But his previous injuries make him a riskier selection in 2025. If he remains healthy, 1,000 total yards and double-digit touchdowns are within reach, but he’s more of a backend RB2. He gets a juicy Week 1 matchup against a Green Bay Packers defense that he has historically shredded, though now they have Micah Parsons in the mix.

Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery’s last 4 matchups vs. the Green Bay Packers 👀

88 Touches
392 yards
4.1 YPC
5 TD’s

Will Monty have another BIG GAME to open up the season in Lambeau?? pic.twitter.com/PzaHmc51oM

— Crunch Time Sports (@officialctpod) September 1, 2025

Montgomery is currently the RB24 in our 2025 PPR Rankings.

Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Back in 2022, Jones topped 1,400 scrimmage yards for the third time and set a career-high with 59 receptions. The home and road splits were fascinating—he was a dominant force at Lambeau Field (932 yards, four touchdowns, 28 catches) but far less effective away from home (584 yards, three scores, 31 catches). He cleared 100 yards in six games, and the Packers leaned on him just as much as the year prior, keeping him on the field for 57.6% of their snaps.

The following season told a far different story. Hamstring and knee issues cost him six games in 2023, and the result was his lowest yardage total (879) in six years. Still, Jones remained efficient when healthy, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 7.8 per reception. He reminded everyone just how valuable he can be, closing the season with 584 rushing yards and three scores in his final five games before lighting up the scoreboard against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs (21 carries, 118 yards, three touchdowns).

In his age-29 season in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, Jones set a career-high in touches (306). He accumulated 1,546 total yards with seven touchdowns and 51 receptions, maintaining his trademark explosiveness (4.5 YPC, 8.0 YPR) and racking up seven plays of 20+ yards. The Vikings fed him 20+ touches in seven contests. His best rushing outings came in Week 3 (19/102) and Week 12 (22/106/1).

Jones offered a consistency factor (just two bust outcomes and a floor of 10.80 fantasy points in 15 matchups in PPR formats). However, his lack of scoring capped his impact value (his high in fantasy points was 25.80). He played through hip, hamstring, rib, back, and quad issues during the year, but Minnesota still had him on the field for 63.2% of their plays.

The hardest call in fantasy is knowing just the right year to abandon ship. Jones has been a terrific player, but entering 2025 he’s 30, has a lot of wear and tear on the body, and now faces added competition from Jordan Mason at the goal line. Jones will still have plenty of playable weeks, especially in PPR formats, but I expect the Vikings to thrive through the air this season and Mason could very well leapfrog Jones on the depth chart before the end of the year. 

Jones finished as the RB15 in 2024 yet is being drafted as the RB26 in high-stakes leagues. If he hits 40 catches, 1,300 total yards, and five touchdowns, he could grind out another 200-point season. But I’m not so certain he’ll be able to stay healthy, and even if he does, Mason is the running back I’m targeting in Minnesota. 

Jones is currently the RB27 in our 2025 PPR Rankings.

The Verdict: David Montgomery Vs. Aaron Jones

While I’m not crazy about either of these running backs in the fantasy football market, I have to go with the player on the superior offense and that’s Montgomery. Yes, Jones is the RB1 for the Vikings while Monty is the RB2 behind Gibbs in Detroit, but a changing of the guard could happen in Minnesota this season. Jones tallied a career-high 255 carries in 2024 and while he was fairly effective, I see a version of him where the wheels fall off in 2025. 

Meanwhile, Montgomery is a touchdown machine playing in an offense that gets the ball near the goal line quite often. I’m not crazy about him either, but given his scoring upside, he seems like the logical choice. I’m fading both of these players in 2025 but if I had to choose one, I’d take Montgomery. If Gibbs suffers even a two or three-week injury, Monty will have RB1 upside. If Mason goes down, I don’t anticipate Jones seeing an uptick in production. And although I trust J.J. McCarthy, there could be some early-season hiccups in this Minnesota offense as they look to find the high-octane rhythm they possessed in 2024 with Sam Darnold under center. 

Go with Monty or fade them both.