A lot of people didn’t originally seem to understand the Detroit Lions selecting [autotag]Jahmyr Gibbs[/autotag] with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but that narrative has quickly changed. The way the NFL has evolved in recent years has hurt the value of the running back position, but it’s foolish to diminish Gibbs’ skill set to be just a runner.
On draft night, the Lions had two start-worthy running backs on their roster including promising former UGA RB, D’Andre Swift. However, the Lions were so impressed by Gibbs that they traded Swift to the Eagles the weekend of the draft to maximize Gibbs’ time on the field. Reports indicate that Detroit had Gibbs as the No. 6 overall player on their board, so to get him at No. 12 has to count for something.
The Lions narrowly missed out on the playoffs in 2022 but ended the season red hot, winning eight of their last 10 games. Jared Goff was playing really well, Amon-Ra St. Brown established himself as a WR1 and the defense looked sharp.
Insert Gibbs into that offense along with former Alabama WR, Jameson Williams, who missed nearly the entirety of his rookie year with the Lions due to injury, and you are looking at a really young and up-and-coming offense. Gibbs will get his carries, but it’s what he did in the Crimson Tide passing attack that caught a lot of eyes as he was the leading receiver in 2022.
Rookies primed for a breakout 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xxJKPOIqCw
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 9, 2023
Roll Tide Wire will monitor Gibbs’ rookie season with the Detroit Lions.
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