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FantasyPros Articles fantasy football takes on David Montgomery

Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from FantasyPros Articles about David Montgomery.

78
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33
Positive
14
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All FantasyPros Articles insights about David Montgomery

PositiveProjectionAug 22, 2026
Montgomery ranked 11th in rushing yards over expected per attempt (0.79) per NFL Next Gen Stats, sandwiched between Jaylen Warren and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (0.8 tied for 9th) and Blake Corum (0.78 for 12th); just ahead of former teammate Jahmyr Gibbs (0.7). He ranked 18th in yards per carry (4.53), 10th in yards after contact per attempt (2.45), and 19th in yards per route run (1.25) among 58 RBs with 70+ rush attempts and 52 RBs with 125+ routes.
PositiveValueAug 20, 2026
Montgomery is currently RB22, which is crazy for a player signed by Houston to handle all three downs and lead a team that should be competing for the playoffs. The ranking is due to his age (29), but if based on situation and talent—including elite pass blocking and the ability to catch out of the backfield (which was lost in Detroit due to Jahmyr Gibbs' elite ability)—Montgomery would be recognized as the top back he can be. At ECR 48 (late 4th round, early 5th), Montgomery is a player that could lead owners to championships who take top-tier wide receivers early and use him as the foundation of their backfield.
PositiveBreakoutAug 19, 2026
Montgomery, currently RB24, has a viable path to RB1 status in Houston despite concerns about his 2025 Lions performance. The Texans addressed their league-worst offensive line by drafting Keylan Rutledge and adding Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller, with camp reports indicating vast improvement. Montgomery faces minimal backfield competition—Woody Marks is a second-year pass-catching specialist and Jawhar Jordan is a third-year sixth-round pick. The Texans' offense averaged 13th-most rushing attempts and points per game in 2025, meaning efficiency gains rather than volume increases could elevate Montgomery. Historical precedent: Joe Mixon finished RB9 in points per game in 2024 despite his offense scoring 1.7 fewer points per game than Houston's 2025 output, suggesting Montgomery's volume should drive confidence.
PositiveValueAug 17, 2026
Montgomery makes the must-have list due to consistency, price point, and increased opportunities with Houston. At 29 years old, he is a downfield bruising runner who excels at the goal line and in short-yardage situations. He is set to handle his highest workload since 2019-2022 when he was Chicago's lead back. Splitting carries with Jahmyr Gibbs over the last three seasons has kept him fresh. Concerns about PPR value are overblown; Montgomery caught 96 passes in a two-year stretch and simply hasn't been asked to handle receiving duties while paired with Gibbs. Woody Marks is expected to be only a change-of-pace back.
PositiveProjectionAug 15, 2026
Montgomery now serves as the Texans' do-it-all workhorse for 2026 after being phased out of Detroit's plans in 2025 (RB32 finish). In Weeks 12-18, he was RB43 with 32.1% snap rate, 8.2 touches per game, and 42.8 total yards per game. However, Montgomery retains elite per-touch metrics: ranked 12th in yards after contact per attempt, 22nd in yards per route run, and 12th in first downs per route run. He should absorb a workload close to what Joe Mixon saw in 2024 (fifth in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, 13th in carries, 281 touches). Montgomery bested Woody Marks in explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run—every key per-touch metric. He should be a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production.
PositiveValueAug 11, 2026
Montgomery is a clear choice to draft in the middle rounds with a stable workload and undervalued draft price. The Texans signed him to a two-year deal and he immediately became the centerpiece of their run game. Montgomery has shown he can handle volume throughout his career, including a top-five PPR finish in Chicago. While that ceiling is unlikely to repeat, his floor remains one of the most stable in the league. Houston rebuilt its offensive line after a rough 2025 season, and Montgomery's physical style fits the offense they want to run. He also brings more receiving ability than his Detroit usage suggested, adding value in PPR formats. Being drafted as early as the seventh round, he walks into a workload most teams reserve for their No. 1 RB—handling early downs, short-yardage work and goal-line carries. Woody Marks may see passing-game snaps, but Montgomery is the player Houston trusts in high-leverage situations. He can be drafted as your RB1 in a Zero RB build without hesitation, getting guaranteed touches, a rebuilt line and top-16 potential at a mid-round price.
PositiveValueAug 5, 2026
Montgomery's ADP has barely moved year over year despite backfield changes, signaling market confidence in his continued role as Houston's primary early-down back. Houston boasts an elite defense and should frequently play with leads, setting up run-friendly game scripts; the offensive line improved significantly with free agency additions and a highly regarded rookie run blocker. A workload of 15+ carries per game looks realistic, and he remains a near-lock for goal-line work with double-digit touchdowns in two of the last three seasons. One the source who drafted him in a recent expert league views his floor as low-end RB2 and ceiling as low-end RB1, drawing a direct comparison to a prior season's high-volume bounce-back performance; on a per-touch efficiency basis, Montgomery graded out ahead of his presumed backfield complement in nearly every meaningful category last year.
PositiveRoleAug 4, 2026
Montgomery is now Houston's do-it-all workhorse for 2026 after being phased out of Detroit's plans last season (RB32 in fantasy points per game, 32.1% snap rate in Weeks 12-18). Derek Brown projects Montgomery to absorb a workload close to what Joe Mixon saw in 2024 (fifth in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, 13th in carries, 281 touches). Brown dismisses backfield-split concerns with Woody Marks, citing Montgomery's superior per-touch metrics: he bested Marks in explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run. Montgomery ranked 30th in missed tackle rate last season but 12th in yards after contact per attempt and 22nd in yards per route run, with 12th in first downs per route run. Brown projects Montgomery as a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production.
PositiveValueJul 28, 2026
Derek Brown targets Montgomery as a mid-round value in 2026 after his RB32 finish in 2025 with Detroit. Montgomery joins Houston as the Texans' workhorse and should absorb a workload close to Joe Mixon's 2024 opportunity share (5th), snap share (14th), and carries (13th) among RBs, finishing with 281 touches. Brown projects Montgomery as a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production, citing superior per-touch metrics: he bested Woody Marks in explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run.
PositiveRoleJul 25, 2026
A report suggesting the two will split first-team camp reps is being framed as developmental rather than a real threat to Montgomery's role, but at his current price, the ideal outcome is something like a 70-30 workload split in his favor. A more realistic outcome closer to 60-40 would meaningfully cap his weekly ceiling relative to his cost. The backup struggled mightily as a rookie thrust into a bigger role than expected, finishing near the bottom of the league among high-volume backs in yards per carry, missed tackles forced, and yards after contact per attempt, but he was an excellent, target-earning pass catcher in college and has continued to show that skill.
NegativeValueJul 25, 2026
Montgomery's price has crept up steadily all offseason to the point where one the source is no longer comfortable with it, now sitting around the second pick of the sixth round. There was real confidence in him right after his team traded real draft capital to acquire him, but the cost has now outpaced that confidence. Everything that made him look like a clear upgrade over his presumed backup last year gets shakier if this offensive situation isn't strong.
PositiveValueJul 23, 2026
Montgomery is ranked RB24 in ECR and represents the best RB value pick according to multiple sources. Despite Houston's offensive line struggles, Montgomery should receive most RB touches in what projects to be an improved line and offense. He finished RB27 last year with only 182 total touches while playing second fiddle to Jahmir Gibbs; now without Gibbs, he should approach 300 touches and finish at least RB24. Woody Marks poses minimal competition. Montgomery finished 2025 with 158 rushing carries for 716 yards and 8 TDs (4.5 yards per attempt), forced 29 missed tackles, and averaged 3.2 yards after contact per attempt. The Texans' elite defense and improved offensive line should enable a run-heavy game script. One source calls him a "3-down back" in the "2024 Joe Mixon role" with "RB10 numbers." He is locked in as a weekly high-end RB2 with upside for more.
PositiveRoleJul 23, 2026
Montgomery was phased out of Detroit's offense late in 2025, finishing as RB32 in fantasy points per game overall but RB43 in Weeks 12-18 with only 32.1% snap rate and 8.2 touches per game. He now joins Houston as the workhorse back. Despite the late-season decline, Montgomery retains elite per-touch metrics: 12th in yards after contact per attempt, 22nd in yards per route run, and 12th in first downs per route run. The source expects him to absorb a workload similar to Joe Mixon's 2024 season (fifth in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, 13th in carries, 281 touches) and projects him as a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production, noting he outperformed Woody Marks in every per-touch metric.
PositiveProjectionJul 21, 2026
Montgomery joined the Texans for significant draft capital with very little competition; Woody Marks, a fourth-rounder, ranked 48th among 49 backs with 100+ attempts in yards per carry (3.59), 48th in missed tackles forced per attempt, and 37th in yards after contact per attempt, proving better suited to a change-of-pace role. Montgomery is a superior pass-catcher and goal-line back, with youth being Marks' only advantage. If the Texans improve offensive line play and C.J. Stroud's performance, Montgomery can easily reach top-18 running back status; he was RB32 in fantasy points per game last season but has potential to be a top-15 back in 2026.
PositiveProjectionJul 21, 2026
Montgomery is now the Texans' do-it-all workhorse for 2026 after being phased out of Detroit's plans in 2025, finishing as RB32 in fantasy points per game. The source projects Montgomery as a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production, expecting him to absorb a workload close to what Joe Mixon saw in 2024 (5th in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, 13th in carries, 281 touches). Despite concerns about splitting work with Woody Marks, the source notes Montgomery bested Marks in every per-touch metric: explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run.
PositiveValueNo date
Montgomery is RB26 at MFL ADP 87.92 but represents strong value. The Texans traded an offensive lineman and two Day 3 picks for him, signaling heavy usage. Last season's Texans RB carries were split among Woody Marks (49.1%, averaging 3.6 yards per carry with 23% of carries going for zero or negative yards), Nick Chubb (30.6%, now gone), and Jawhar Jordan (10.8%). Montgomery had 38.8% of the Lions' carries last season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry with 30.4% of runs going for 5+ yards. While he may not be used much in the receiving game (5.3% target share with Lions), he should receive enough rushing volume to outpace this RB26 ADP.