Should I Start David Montgomery in Week 2? Fantasy Football RB Rankings Analysis

David Montgomery acted as the Lions' lead back in Week 1, taking 77% of backfield snaps and 64% of the rushing attempts.

Rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs played second fiddle, touching the ball just nine times for 60 total yards.

Did Montgomery prove that he's worthy of lead-back opportunities for Detroit moving forward? Let's take a look.

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

David Montgomery: Fantasy Football Outlook

Detroit used the fifth-year running back much more than most fans and analysts expected in the NFL opener. He took 21 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown, and looked decent on the ground. He didn't have any real explosive plays, but did showcase a nice burst and cut en route to a nine-yard score.

Touches on the ground are nice, but the majority of fantasy football owners play in PPR or half-PPR leagues. Despite not catching a pass, the most encouraging usage was Montgomery being on the field in passing-down situations. Detroit held a lead late in the game and was not forced into any check-down plays.

David Montgomery: Running Back Rankings Analysis

The Iowa State product enters Week 2 as the RB13 in RotoBaller's staff rankings.

Over a 70% snap share is elite usage for running backs. The Lions also play in a game with the second-highest point total of the weekend, meaning there will likely be a lot of points scored and plays run.

Another 15+ carries with a few catches leaves fantasy owners with a nice RB2 floor with upside potential.

Should I Start David Montgomery In Week 2 Fantasy Football?

With an average ADP of 86, he's likely your fantasy team's RB2 (RB1 if you're me) and can be started with confidence this week. A few days ago, OC Ben Johnson said, "We will get Gibbs going as he gets more comfortable." The 12th overall pick should start to see more usage as the season progresses, but that doesn't mean Montgomery will be phased out.

He succeeds in multiple aspects of the running back position and should continue seeing 15+ touches per game until further notice.

More Fantasy Football Analysis