The Detroit Lions ended the 2024 season with a 15-2 record, winning the NFC North for the second straight season. Detroit fell to the Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional round.
The Lions’ perspective for the 2025 NFL season will change now that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions’ running back, has been a standout player on offense. Gibbs and David Montgomery have formed an ideal running back combo for Detroit. Is Gibbs among the finest running backs in the NFL?
PFF ranks Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs as the 10th best player under 25 in the NFL.
Before the 2025 NFL season, the Lions had many players under the age of 25 on Pro Football Focus’ Top 25 list. Gibbs was ranked tenth on this list. However, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was ranked one spot ahead of him, at number nine. Jonathon Macri of profootballfocus.com stated,
“The three-year grade is 90.2, with 1,371 snaps played since 2022.
The average WAR since 2022 is 0.17.
Gibbs and Robinson are competing for the title of top young running back in the NFL, and they will almost certainly be compared throughout their careers after being separated by only four picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Gibbs and Robinson differ in PFF grades by very small margins. Gibbs finished one position below Robinson in the PFF rushing grade in 2024. Gibbs has more than 1,000 running yards and at least 400 receiving yards in each of his two NFL seasons (including the postseason), with 2024 being his most productive. During the regular season, he was in the top five at his position in terms of rushing yards (1,412) and receiving yards (517).
Gibbs is only 23 years old and will be starting his third season in the NFL with Detroit. Gibbs carried for 1,412 yards on 250 attempts and 16 touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
He also grabbed 52 receptions for 517 yards and four touchdowns, with an average reception of 9.9 yards.
The Lions’ outstanding young rushing back hopes to be one of the top five running backs in the NFL for the 2025 season. With Johnson gone, it will be fascinating to see if Gibbs can maintain his production out of the backfield.
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