The 2026 Detroit Lions have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and they also have one of the best overall players in running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Through seven games, Gibbs is second in the league in carries (157) and rushing yards (773) and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (8). There is a less-obvious stat, however, that puts him far ahead of anyone else: broken tackles.
Gibbs is on pace for 123 broken tackles this season, which would more than double his previous career high of 65. Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson led the league with 86 last year.
Against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Gibbs tore the defense apart. He racked up 153 rushing yards on 23 carries with one touchdown, and he set a new personal best in broken tackles with 12, per NFL NextGen Stats. It was his fourth game with double-digit missed tackles this season, which is the most of any player.
Before the season started, Gibbs came in at No. 9 on the NFL top 100 list, and I wrote about why he deserved to be ranked higher. Through seven games, Gibbs is proving it as he heads toward an Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) award.
Jahmyr Gibbs seems destined for OPOY as Lions' workhorse
Unlike other running backs near the top of rushing statistics, Gibbs can do damage as a receiver out of the backfield. Among RBs, Gibbs is top 3 in targets (44, 2nd), receptions (34, T-3rd), yards (285, 3rd) and touchdowns (2, T-2nd). Gibbs' abilities as a receiver set him apart from most backs, and Christian McCaffrey and Robinson are the only comparisons, although Jaylen Warren and Ashton Jeanty aren't far behind.
When it comes to runs of more than ten yards this season, nobody has more than Gibbs (27). Not only do the broken tackles play a factor, but the Lions' offensive line has played well this season. Center Cade Mays left the game against the Vikings with an ankle injury and never returned, but Juice Scruggs played well in releif earlier this season, so it shouldn't cause many issues.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba won OPOY in 2025, catching 119 passes for 1,793 yards and ten touchdowns. He already has eight touchdowns through seven games this season, so he could be in the mix to win the award for the second year in a row. Only two players in NFL history have ever won consecutive OPOY awards, as hall of fame running backs Earl Campbell (1978, 1979, 1980) and Marshall Faulk (1999, 2000, 2001) both won three in a row.
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The only concern with Gibbs is the number of touches he can endure. Gibbs is 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, and currently has the second-most carries in the league (157). The player with the most (158) is Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 252 pounds. Henry has been able to sustain an average of 297 carries per season over his career, including five seasons of at least 300. But Gibbs isn't built like Henry.
Gibbs had a career high 250 carries in 2024 and 243 last season, but he's on pace for 381 this year. The most carries Henry ever recorded in a regular season is 378 in 2020, when he finished with 2,027 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Gibbs could put up some wild numbers with that many touches, but I don't think he'll be able to stay healthy enough to get there. The Lions need to work on bringing in another running back so Gibbs can stay fresh and flourish.
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