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Jahmyr Gibbs was one of the most popular draft targets ahead of the 2023 fantasy football season. His elite athleticism and favorable situation in a high-scoring offense appeared to give him massive upside for his rookie season. While he has flashed his strong potential at certain points this year, he has been an overall disappointment in fantasy football through his first four games.
Gibbs' failure to emerge as a featured running back has resulted in some fantasy managers speculating about trading him away following another subpar Week 4 performance. For those speculating about this difficult decision, Sportskeeda's fantasy football trade analyzer can help make the process easier.
Should I trade Jahmyr Gibbs this week?
The Detroit Lions appear committed to keeping David Montgomery as their workhorse running back, while selectively using Jahmyr Gibbs for potentially explosive plays. While Montgomery is currently averaging an excellent 24 touches per game so far, Gibbs is averaging about half of that at just 13 touches per game. Gibbs has also failed to find the endzone though four games, while Montgomery already has five rushing touchdowns in just three appearances.
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For managers who believe that their backfield splits will remain relatively similar for the remainder of the 2023 NFL season, which is entirely possible, now is the time to begin seeking a trade partner for Jahmyr Gibbs. They will ideally look for another manager who still believes that, as the season goes on, Gibbs will eventually eclipse Montgomery and explode in fantasy football, which is also entirely possible.
Also Read: Jahmyr Gibbs' fantasy outlook
The fantasy football trade analyzer suggested flipping Jahmyr Gibbs for a return package,which would include Kyren Williams and George Pickens. Williams is the clear workhorse back for his team, unlike Gibbs, especially since the Los Angeles Rams recently traded away Cam Akers. Pickens has emerged as the WR1 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his value has increased even further since Diontae Johnson was put on injured reserve.
If fantasy managers are able to receive this type of compensation, or something similar, it definitely makes sense to trade Gibbs in redraft leagues. While he is likely to become more valuable later, there's no telling how long that will take. Managers can instead capitalize on his perceived value and flip for other assetts that can immediately contribute more total fantasy points.
Also Read: 5 knee-jerk trades to pursue after Week 3 fantasy football
Will Jahmyr Gibbs play in Week 5?
David Montgomery made his return to the Detroit Lions' lineup in Week 4 on Thursday Night Footbll against the Green Bay Packers. Despite missing his previous game with a thigh injury, the Lions wasted no time giving him his largest workload of the season so far. This demoted Gibbs to more of a complimentary role once again.
In the Lions' Week 5 game against the Carolina Panthers, there is little reason to believe that the backfield workload distribution will undergo any significant changes. This means that, while Gibbs should fully be expected to play, as he has no reported injuries, it will likely be as the RB2 to Montgomery.
Managers debating plugging Montgomery or Gibbs into fantasy football lineups should consult the Start/Sit Optimizer first.
Jahmyr Gibbs Fantasy Projection in 2023
Jahmyr Gibbs has totaled 53 touches through his first four games of the 2023 fantasy football season. His largest output came in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons when he recorded 18 touches. It's important to note that David Montgomery missed this game with a thigh injury, and this explains the uptick in Gibbs' usage.
This also demonstrates the concerning fact that Gibbs is averaging just 12 touches per game when Montgomery does play, who averages double the workload at 24 touches per game. It appears that the Detroit Lions have made a conscious decision to limit their rookie running back's touches, at least in the early stages of the 2023 NFL season.
It's possible that, at some point this year, the Lions decide to increase Gibbs' usage, but there's also no guarantee. They used a similar formula with their dual running backs last season as well. Jamaal Williams served as much more of the workhorse, while D'Andre Swift was used selectively in an attempt to maximize his explosiveness. So far this year, Montgomery has served in a similar role as Williams', while Gibbs has taken more of the Swift approach.
If the Lions decide to stick with this formula, which is working to the tune of a 3-1 record, this could severely limit Gibbs' upside in fantasy football. In 14 games last season, Swift exceeded 15 touches just twice. This means that Gibbs is still a solid staple in fantasy lineups as an RB2/3 going forward, but unless his workload increases, his preseason potential as a RB1 is basically gone at this point.
