Detroit

Lions

Safety Brian Branch is active after being listed as questionable with a calf issue. Glasgow is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to one limited practice this week. He will eye a Week 17 return. Despite an sustaining unfathomable amount of injuries this year, the Lions remain heavy favorites over the lowly Bears.

Branch missed Wednesday’s practice but got into two limited sessions before being listed as questionable. He should be able to play through the issue this week. Branch has 14 pass breakups, four interceptions, and one forced fumble this year.

Glasgow missed the first two practices of the week with the knee issue but was upgraded to a limited session on Friday, giving him a shot to suit up on Sunday. Kayode Awosika has one start at left guard this year and another at right guard. He would likely enter the lineup if Glasgow can’t go.

Rapoport reports that it took “several days and several experts” to come to this conclusion while adding that if all goes well, Montgomery could find himself back on the field at some point during the postseason. Montgomery will not return in the regular season, but it sounds like any concerns the team had over the torn MCL he reportedly suffered in Week 14 have been quelled a bit. We’ll see where things go from here, but it goes without saying that a healthy Montgomery would bode well for the Lions in the postseason.

Dan Campbell called some of the Lions’ Wednesday absences precautionary, so Glasgow could return to practice at any point this week. While the Detroit defense has sustained more injuries than any other unit, the offense, sans David Montgomery, should have all of the big names available for Week 16.

Campbell told reporters the team is in “waiting mode.” The Lions are seemingly delaying the inevitable with this being the third opinion Montgomery is seeking. We still expect him to end the year on injured reserve and undergo surgery on what was previously reported to be a torn MCL. The best-case scenario could be a return late in the postseason, but we’re not holding our breath. Jahmyr Gibbs should close out the season as the Lions’ top back, putting him in contention for the RB1 overall title over the final month of the year.

The question is simply how big of a role there is behind Gibbs. Reynolds took 14 carries to Gibbs’ 26 in Week 8 of 2023 against the Raiders, and three carries to Gibbs’ 11 in Week 7 of 2023 against the Ravens. That was with a rookie Gibbs, though, and it’s possible the Lions are more interested in entrusting Gibbs with a large majority of the workload today. Ultimately we expect Reynolds and Vaki to command no more than a Cam Akers-ish closeout role with a snap here or there. It may not be enough for fantasy value in Week 16.

Reinforcements are coming in Detroit after a rash of defensive injuries. Pittman has just two starts since signing with the Lions as a UDFA in 2019. He had a total of 152 defensive snaps for the Lions from 2019-2023. Now he’ll return as a depth piece and likely special teamer.

A brutal day for the Lions gets even worse as Montgomery goes from out indefinitely to out for the season. Montgomery finishes the season with a 185/775/12 rushing line as well as 36 catches for 341 yards. He just signed an extension this season, but with the late date of this injury and the quick “out for season” call, it’s possible the torn MCL has Montgomery missing time this offseason. This firmly places Jahmyr Gibbs as high as RB2 overall in the fantasy ranks this week, behind only Saquon Barkley. It’s also possible it creates a fantasy role for Craig Reynolds.

According to Schefter, Montgomery is undergoing additional tests on his knee and getting a second opinion, while adding that the veteran running back “could be lost for the season.” He also added that there are some in the Lions’ organization who believe Monty will be out for the season. It’s a brutal blow to the Lions, and Montgomery’s fantasy managers, as Monty has played a key role in the team’s offensive success both on the ground and through the air. Serving as the “Knuckles” to Jahmyr Gibbs’ “Sonic,” Montgomery has rushed 185 times for 775 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns this season. His 12 rushing touchdowns are tied for second-most amongst all running backs, while his 1,116 yards from scrimmage ranks 18th amongst all backs. Montgomery’s absence should set up Gibbs for high-volume weeks in the fantasy playoffs, while backup Craig Reynolds could also see an increase in playing time. Reynolds’ unpredictable workload will keep him off the fantasy radar in Week 16, although he does make for an interesting stash in deeper leagues for those still in the hunt for a championship.