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James Conner and David Montgomery are sitting on opposing ends. Conner's Arizona Cardinals are out of playoff contention. He's pondering his role and future in a franchise that's contemplating whether it should stand with Kyler Murray and rebuild around him or part ways and start anew.
Montgomery's Detroit Lions, meanwhile, have become the NFC North's best team. They need just one more win to clinch their first divisional title since the days of Barry Sanders.
So, who between the two running backs is a better fantasy option?
Is James Conner a good fantasy pick in 2023?
The year 2023 has not been kind to James Conner, who sits at RB #24 with 11.1 projected points.
The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and had to sit out the next four games. The Cardinals sorely missed his services, extending their losing skid to six, including a 27-0 shutout at the shockingly good Cleveland Browns. When he and Kyler Murray returned against the Atlanta Falcons, they won 25-23.
Conner's fantasy ranking comes as no surprise, given his lack of stats. So far, he has only 364 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, a significant downgrade from 2022.
Is David Montgomery a good fantasy pick in 2023?
Meanwhile, David Montgomery has been experiencing a career renaissance since switching divisional allegiances.
As a Chicago Bear, he was one of the most important pieces of their 2020 playoff-worthy season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. However, the team soon regressed, hitting a nadir in 2022 with a 3-14 record.
Wanting to go to a contending team, Montgomery linked up with the Lions and has rewarded them massively, scoring a career-high nine touchdowns. Shockingly, though, that only barely puts him in the top 20 at his position, with 10.5 points.
Whom should I start between James Conner and David Montgomery?
The Start/Sit Optimizer makes it perfectly clear that the running back on the contending team is the better choice.
The only stat David Montgomery loses in is receptions, and even then, it's only by 0.3 points. Everywhere else, he's dominant; and that's despite having to share the backfield with rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who has had more yardage than him (792 vs. 648).
