Running Back Rankings Update: Why David Montgomery Is a Fade in 2025
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David Montgomery remains a reliable short-yardage and goal-line option for the Detroit Lions, but his fantasy upside is capped by injury risk and limited big-play explosiveness. While he can still reach 1,000 combined yards with double-digit touchdowns, his inconsistent usage and fading efficiency make him a risky RB2/Flex option in 2025.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
The Bears had Montgomery on the field for 64.6% of their plays in 2022 while leaving Week 3 (ankle issue) after 17 snaps, costing him the next game. He gained over 1,000 combined yards (1,117) for the fourth consecutive season. Chicago gave him 234 touches, leading to six scores and 34 catches. Montgomery rushed for 100 yards in only one game (15/122). His only outcome with more than 20.00 fantasy points came in Week 11 (21.10).
The move to Detroit treated Montgomery well the following season, especially over the first four games (88/371/6 with five catches for 47 yards – 20.70 FPPG). Unfortunately, he missed Week 3, Week 7, and Week 8 with an early exit in Week 6 (ribs). Montgomery scored 15 touchdowns over his 17 games for the year, ranking 17th in fantasy points (208.60) in PPR formats for running backs. His overall body of work was worthy of a top-12 running finish.
Over his final 12 matchups (including the postseason), Montgomery gained 909 combined yards with nine scores and 16 catches on 180 touches (15.0 per game). He gained more than 100 combined yards in two of those contests (12/116/1 and 113 combined yards with one touchdown and two catches). His only impact showing came in Week 4 (32/121/3 with two catches for 20 yards). Montgomery had two catches or fewer in 15 of his 17 matchups.
The Lions gave him RB1 snaps in four of his 15 games, with best stats coming over the first five games (75/351/6 with 10 catches for 94 yards). Montgomery averaged 13.71 fantasy points over his final 10 games (117/452/6 with 26 catches for 247 yards) while missing most of the final five games with a knee injury.
David Montgomery 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook And Ranking
The Lions will continue to give Montgomery chances at the goal line. He needs many carries to gain more than 100 yards (only reached that threshold once in 2023 – 23/105/1). His running back ranking (21st) this year aligns with his results over the past two seasons, but I also see disaster downside due to his increasing injury risk.
With 14 touches a game, 1,000 combined yards with double-digit scores and about 25 catches is well within reach. I’m fading him this season.
Montgomery is currently the RB23 in our 2025 PPR Rankings.
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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