Ashton Jeanty vs Jahmyr Gibbs: Who Should You Start?
Jahmyr Gibbs and Ashton Jeanty are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Detroit Lions running back averaged 19.3 PPG in 2025, a full 6.5 points per game ahead of Ashton Jeanty's 12.8 with the Las Vegas Raiders. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
Jahmyr Gibbs carries a 6.5-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both are three-down backs with real passing-game roles. Ashton Jeanty caught 55 balls for 346 yards, and Jahmyr Gibbs hauled in 77 for 616. That receiving workload gives them high PPR floors even in games where the ground attack gets stuffed, and it is why both stay on the field in obvious passing situations.
Ashton Jeanty has his bye in Week 10, and Jahmyr Gibbs rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
