David Montgomery injury update: Latest on Lions RB for fantasy football Week 10

David Montgomery has been a fantasy football superstar in his first NFL season with the Detroit Lions. He ranked among the top 20 running backs in his first four games with his new team, including two top-five finishes. He has also dominated the backfield touches for the Lions this season whenever healthy, but the issue is that he has already missed three games this year.

The Lions were one of four NFL teams on their bye weeks in the most recent week of the 2023 NFL season. Montgomery hopefully had plenty of time to rest his rib injury as managers hope he will be available for their Week 10 fantasy football lineups. His practice activity this week will give a better idea about his current status.

David Montgomery injury update

David Montgomery

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, David Montgomery is expected to return to the lineup in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Lions recently released one of their depth running backs, Devine Ozigbo, suggesting that their starter should be ready to return.

While the Lions haven't officially announced Montgomery's status, his activity during their first Week 10 practice session on Wednesday will give a clear insight into his recovery process. His official listing on the Lions' first official injury report that day will provide further clarity.

What happened to David Montgomery?

Montgomery served as the workhorse for the Lions in each of his first four games with the team, averaging a massive 22 carries per game. He was knocked out of their Week 6 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after reportedly suffering a rib cartilage injury.

Head coach Dan Campbell announced after the game that his running back would be out "for a little while." While his statement was extremely vague, the injury has forced Montgomery to miss each of the Lions' past two games. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs has been serving as the starter in his absence and has thrived in his expanded role.

When will David Montgomery return?

It appears that David Montgomery has a strong chance of returning in Week 10 for the matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. It's important to remember that the Detroit Lions opted not to place him on the injured reserve list. This means they likely expect him to miss less time than the minimum four-game absence by being placed on the IR.

If the Lions were accurate in their assessment of the injury, it can be assumed that Montgomery will get back onto the football field for this upcoming game after sitting out for the past three weeks. It will be interesting to see how the backfield touches are split with Gibbs upon Montgomery's return. This will significantly impact each of their fantasy values.

In two games without the veteran in the lineup, Gibbs exploded for 51 total touches for 315 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. The rookie has likely earned the right to cut into Montgomery's massive workload from earlier in the year. How the touches are divided will be an important factor to keep an eye on in fantasy football.