With David Montgomery gone, the Detroit Lions’ dual-threat star enters a workhorse role capable of chasing the most prolific scoring season in fantasy football history.
LaDainian Tomlinson's 2006 season has long stood as the gold standard for fantasy football greatness. The former TCU star totaled 481.1 PPR fantasy points, a mark that has remained untouched for two decades. Now, there is a legitimate candidate who could make a run at it in 2026.
That player is Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Gibbs enters the season with the kind of workload and versatility that could make Tomlinson's record at least worth discussing. After three NFL seasons, Gibbs has already established himself as one of the league's most dangerous dual-threat running backs. In 2025, he rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 77 receptions for 616 yards and five more scores. That gave him 18 total touchdowns in 17 games.
His opportunity could be even greater this season.
With David Montgomery no longer in Detroit, Gibbs is positioned to operate as the Lions' unquestioned feature back. Fantasy analysts already view him as one of the top overall options entering the 2026 season, with some projections putting him above 400 fantasy points. One recent projection specifically suggested Gibbs could be better positioned than anyone in recent memory to challenge Tomlinson's record 31-touchdown season.
That is where the comparison becomes particularly interesting.
Tomlinson's 2006 campaign was extraordinary. He produced 1,815 rushing yards, 508 receiving yards and 31 total touchdowns, averaging more than 30 PPR points per game over 16 contests.
Gibbs doesn't necessarily need to replicate every part of Tomlinson's statistical profile to have a chance. What makes him dangerous in this conversation is his ability to accumulate points in multiple ways. He can dominate on the ground, rack up receptions, and turn relatively modest touches into explosive plays.
He has already shown that ceiling. In 2025, Gibbs exploded for 264 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns against the New York Giants, demonstrating just how quickly he can produce a massive fantasy outing.
Of course, overtaking Tomlinson would require an almost perfect season. Gibbs would likely need somewhere around 30 touchdowns and another massive total-yardage campaign while staying healthy for all 17 games.
That's a difficult task.
But with Gibbs now stepping into a true workhorse role, the former TCU star's fantasy record may have its most intriguing challenger yet. If everything breaks right for the Lions running back, Tomlinson could finally have someone chasing his legendary mark.
