DavidMontgomery

News: 1 day agoMontgomery (thigh) didn't practice Friday and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.

Spin: Montgomery already said he expected to miss time and then went through the week without practicing. He thus seems highly unlikely to play, though the Lions will leave the door open with a 'doubtful' designation in case Montgomery's thigh bruise improves dramatically between Friday evening and Sunday morning. The Falcons and Lions are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff in a game that figures to draw extra attention from the fantasy world thanks to the presence of rookie RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Just don't be surprised if Craig Reynolds (for the Lions) and Tyler Allgeier (for the Falcons) also get a bunch of carries.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Montgomery signed with the Lions as a de facto Jamaal Williams replacement and will team up with rookie Jahmyr Gibbs to form a potentially-elite RB duo. During four seasons in Chicago, Montgomery never finished a season lower than 20th in touches, 21st in yards or 24th in fantasy points among RBs. Even with Gibbs in the mix, he has a good chance to keep that streak going, especially in a fantasy-friendly role that allowed Williams a league-high 17 TDs and 28 carries inside the opponent's 5-yard line last season. Montgomery (14th among RBs in targets since 2019) is a more accomplished receiver than Williams, so there's a lot to like in a Detroit offense that led the NFL with 501 RB fantasy points in 2022. Target Montgomery as a flex option.