Outlook: If Montgomery and Gibbs were one player they would have put up one of the best fantasy seasons of all time as they combined for over 2,400 total yards and 24 touchdowns. While Gibbs was the chef's knife slicing and dicing from all angles, Montgomery was the meat tenderizer, churning out the tough yards, plowing into the endzone, and setting up the play-action. Montgomery was a free agent hit, as he teamed with Gibbs to give Detroit a reliable, productive veteran who could salt games away in the 4th quarter, or help grind up opposing defenses. His 13 touchdowns were easily a career high, and thanks to an elite offensive line, his 4.6 yards-per-carry was also a career best. With the offensive coaching staff intact, and no physical red flags, look for more of the same for Montgomery. With Gibbs getting most of the hype, Montgomery figures to be a solid, overlooked RB2 in all formats.

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Outlook: After a highly successful seven-year run in Green Bay, Jones joins his inter-division rivals, and takes over as Minnesota's lead back. After an injury plagued start to 2023, Jones lit it up down the stretch, rushing for 100-plus yards in five-straight games to nearly get the Packers to the NFC title game. When healthy, Jones plays with a swiftness and swagger that can carry an offense, and could give Minnesota a reliable rushing element it hasn't had since Dalvin Cook was cut. He did prove to be effective and efficient as a 20-carry back at the end of last season, but as he enters his age 30 season, I'd be very surprised to see that happen in Minnesota. Ty Chandler is a more than capable backup and the five 20-carry games Jones had last year were more than the previous two seasons combined. With an elite career yards-per-carry average north of 5.0, and motivation galore, if Jones can manage to reach 250ish touches he could be a solid RB2 value pick in multiple formats. Just be sure to hedge your bet and handcuff him with Chandler!

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Outlook: In 2023, there were quite a few running back busts, but few hurt fantasy managers more than Rhamondre Stevenson. Many assumed that Stevenson would command a massive touch share after the Patriots failed to invest significant assets in their running back depth chart, opting instead to bring in Ezekiel Elliott, who most had presumed was washed up. However, Stevenson conceded far more touches to Elliott than expected, resulting in a very disappointing RB35 finish.

Stevenson played in just 12 games and was noticeably hindered in several others, making him a tough player to start even when he was active, as he was only the RB27 in fantasy points per game. While it's easy to attribute Stevenson's lack of production to his health issues, it's also important to note that he was stuck in one of the league's worst offenses, which is expected to remain subpar in 2024 despite presumed improvements.

With Elliott gone, the Patriots have replaced him with a younger, more versatile back in Antonio Gibson. The exact division of touches in the backfield is still unclear, but Gibson, who played wide receiver in college, has primarily been utilized as a passing-down specialist during his career with the Commanders. Stevenson might see a higher percentage of red zone touches, particularly near the goal line, but if the Patriots' offense struggles again, this may not compensate for a potential drop-off in passing game usage, especially in PPR formats.

The risk of a bad fantasy season for Stevenson is probably higher heading into this season than it was before 2023. However, his draft day price also reflects this risk, making the cost to acquire Stevenson much lower this year, which should alleviate some concerns about his potential bust factor.

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