Jahmyr Gibbs is already being talked about like the engine of the Detroit Lions offense, and one bold 2026 prediction has taken that buzz to another level.
Rotoballer’s Quincy Milton III put Gibbs at the center of his NFC fantasy forecast and didn’t stop at a big season. He predicted: "Jahmyr Gibbs Breaks Barry Sanders' Franchise Single-Season Rushing Record.
"How's this for a fun prediction? I get it, given how good Sanders was in his prime, Gibbs would have to rush for the fourth-most single-season rushing yards of all time.
You just don't see that kind of production every day. However, what is really stopping Gibbs from doing so?
David Montgomery was shipped off to Houston this offseason.
"The Lions brought in Isiah Pacheco to take Montgomery's place, but this team was shifting heavily toward Gibbs already last year. You just can't take this guy off the field.
The Lions brought in Drew Petzing to coordinate the offense as well. Petzing coordinated an excellent running game in Arizona over the last couple of years.
Gibbs could be a smashing success in 2026."
That kind of projection only makes sense because the arrow is already pointing straight up for Gibbs after three strong NFL seasons. He’s being viewed as the Lions’ bell cow in one of the league’s best offenses, and the expectation is that he’ll be paid like one of the top running backs in football before long.
The setup around him only adds to the intrigue. The arrival of offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and the possibility of more two- and three-tight-end looks should open up more room for Gibbs to work. A better offensive line would only make the picture scarier for defenses.
Milton’s prediction would put Gibbs in rare company. Sanders’ Lions record of 2,053 rushing yards from 1997 is one of only nine 2,000-yard rushing seasons in NFL history, so even with a 17-game schedule, it would be a massive climb.
Sanders, for his part, wants Gibbs to keep chipping away at his franchise marks, which he has already done.
And if Gibbs ever got close to that Lions record, the conversation would get even bigger. Surpassing Sanders by 53 yards would move him past Eric Dickerson for the most rushing yards in a single season in NFL history.
That’s the level of ceiling Gibbs is drawing now. A 2,000-yard season would be an enormous statement, but with his talent and a heavier workload than he’s had before, it doesn’t sound far-fetched at all.
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