Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

David Montgomery vs De'Von AchaneWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

De'Von Achane is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 18.1 PPG to David Montgomery's 9.1 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

De'Von Achane is the better fantasy play this season.

De'Von Achane is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 18.1 PPG and 1,838 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. David Montgomery (9.1 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster De'Von Achane as the starter and David Montgomery as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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RBDetroit Lions#33

David Montgomery

PPG

9.1

Games

Rush Yds

716

Rush TDs

Rec

Rec Yds

192

Bye

Week 6

RBMiami Dolphins#5PPG LEADER

De'Von Achane

PPG

18.1

Games

Rush Yds

1,350

Rush TDs

Rec

Rec Yds

488

Bye

Week 6

The Edge Chart

David Montgomery

De'Von Achane

Head to Head

9.1 PPG18.1 PPG

17 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 6Bye: Week 6

Fantasy Tiers

David Montgomery: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) RB (ranked #33 at the position). De'Von Achane: Tier 1 (Elite) RB (ranked #5 at the position). Among the top 50 running backs this season, David Montgomery is producing at 41% of elite pace and De'Von Achane at 82%. That ranking gap means De'Von Achane carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

David Montgomery vs De'Von Achane: The Full Breakdown

There is a real production gap between these two running backs. De'Von Achane (Miami Dolphins) averaged 18.1 PPG over 16 games in 2025, outscoring David Montgomery (Detroit Lions, 9.1 PPG) by 9.0 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.

A 9.0-PPG gap gives De'Von Achane the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

De'Von Achane is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 67 targets into 488 yards, while David Montgomery profiles as a more traditional rusher with 716 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats De'Von Achane carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.

One thing to note: both players share a Week 6 bye. That means you need a backup plan at running back for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire De'Von Achane at a discount because your league-mates undervalue running back production, do it. David Montgomery is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: David Montgomery (age 28, 6 years) is past the typical RB peak. Redraft value exceeds dynasty value. De'Von Achane (age 24) has not yet hit the RB cliff. High dynasty ceiling if volume holds.

Did You Know?

•De'Von Achane outscored David Montgomery by a projected 153 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•David Montgomery played 17 games in 2025 compared to De'Von Achane's 16. That durability gap means David Montgomery contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•De'Von Achane scored 12 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.8 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at running back.
•De'Von Achane caught 67 passes in 2025. Pass-catching backs average 2-3 more PPG in half-PPR than their non-receiving counterparts.
•De'Von Achane is 4 years younger than David Montgomery (24 vs 28), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

David Montgomery vs De'Von Achane: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	David Montgomery	De'Von Achane
PPG (Half-PPR)	9.1	18.1
Games Played	17	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	155	290
Rushing Yards	716	1,350
Rush Yds/Game	42.1	84.4
Rushing TDs	8	8
Receptions	24	67
Receiving Yards	192	488
Targets	29	85
Total TDs	9	12
Age	28	24
Experience	6 yrs	2 yrs
Bye Week	Week 6	Week 6

Summary

De'Von Achane outscored David Montgomery by 9.0 PPG in 2025 (18.1 to 9.1). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start David Montgomery or De'Von Achane in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, De'Von Achane has the edge at 18.1 PPG compared to David Montgomery's 9.1 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did David Montgomery and De'Von Achane average in 2025?▾

David Montgomery averaged 9.1 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 17 games in 2025. De'Von Achane averaged 18.1 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 9.0 points per game.

Do David Montgomery and De'Von Achane share a bye week?▾

Yes, both David Montgomery and De'Von Achane share a Week 6 bye in 2026. If you roster both, you will need a fill-in at running back for that week.

Is David Montgomery or De'Von Achane a better fantasy running back in 2026?▾

De'Von Achane outscored David Montgomery by 9.0 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.