Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has legit path to finish as the RB1 in fantasy football for Week 8

Finally, at least for those in the fantasy football community who took every opportunity to lament his workload and thus also dismiss what David Montgomery was doing, Week 7 was it. The game Jahmyr Gibbs had a huge workload, playing 87 percent of the snaps with 20 touches, 126 total yards and the first touchdown of his career.

In half and full-point PPR, helped by nine catches for 58 yards, Gibbs finished as the RB3 in fantasy for Week 7.

Montgomery looks sure to miss Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders with his rib cartilage injury. He did not practice on Wednesday, the most current update as of this writing, but he did work off to the side with a trainer. If he plays next Monday night, it would be a huge surprise. Multiple beat writers see his return coming after the Lions' Week 9 bye.

Fantasy Football: Jahmyr Gibbs has path to being the RB1 for Week 8

So Gibbs is line for plenty of work again in Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs (Yahoo!, 0.5-point PPR). They are across the board bad against the position, whichever way you slice it.

Backfield workloads have been split against the Raiders, and touchdowns have been vultured from lead backs sometimes. An apt comp for Gibbs might be Bills' running back James Cook, who had 17 carries for 123 yards and four catches for 36 yards against the Raiders in Week 2. Latavius Murray and Damien Harris each had rushing touchdowns for the Bills against Las Vegas, in a 38-10 win for Buffalo.

A big concern is the Lions blowing out the Raiders next Monday night, and that leading to them resting Gibbs late. But Dan Campbell didn't pull starters when the Lions were getting blown out by the Ravens, and he suggested he wouldn't do so if the circumstance was reversed.

Craig Reynolds might vulture some noticeable work from Gibbs against the Raiders. But 20-plus touches, over 100 total yards and a touchdown is firmly in play for the rookie again this week, and the legit ceiling for him is a finish as the RB1 in fantasy for Week 8.