David Montgomery delivered another strong performance in Week 5, putting his fantasy football managers right back in a familiar position.

Over the past three seasons with Ben Johnson as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, the Lions’ backfield has supported two fantasy-relevant running backs. The tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery became one of the league’s most reliable duos, both serving as weekly fantasy starters during that span.

This year, under new offensive coordinator John Morton, there appeared to be a push to give the younger Gibbs more opportunities — particularly in the passing game. That plan sparked some concern among fantasy players about Montgomery’s role, though not enough to make him undraftable or drastically devalue his outlook.

Through five games, that shift toward Gibbs has indeed happened. He’s handled 61.1% of Detroit’s offensive snaps, while Montgomery has seen 39.9%. Both backs have occasionally shared the field, including during Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Still, heading into Week 6, Gibbs and Montgomery both rank inside the top 20 fantasy running backs in most scoring systems. Gibbs has scored in four straight games, while Montgomery has logged four total touchdowns in the last three weeks as the Lions’ offense has re-established itself among the league’s best after a shaky opener.

Week 5 was especially meaningful for Montgomery, a Cincinnati native, who faced the Bengals in his homecoming game. He recorded 18 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, and in a fun twist, got to show off his former high school quarterback skills by throwing a touchdown pass on a trick play designed by Morton.

With his two scores compared to Gibbs’ one, Montgomery outscored his teammate for the second time in the last three games. After the first occurrence, many fantasy owners developed a clear sell-high strategy — one that might come into play again this week.

I n 0.5-point PPR formats, Montgomery finished as a top-10 fantasy back in Weeks 3 and 5, but fell outside the top 30 in two of the other three games. That level of volatility is exactly why Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus listed Montgomery as the No. 1 player to sell high heading into Week 6.

“The Lions switched offensive coordinators this offseason, and Montgomery’s role has been less consistent,” Jahnke wrote. “He played under 40% of snaps in four of five games, though that changed last week. Week 5 was the only time he had 14 or more carries. Week 1 was the only time he caught multiple passes. On the bright side, he’s scored four times in his last four games.”

“Game script heavily influenced Week 5. Jahmyr Gibbs played 71% of snaps through Detroit’s first seven drives, scoring on a 20-yard reception. Once the Lions built a 28-point lead, they leaned on Montgomery to close it out. He logged 19 snaps to Gibbs’ five and ran the ball 12 times during that stretch.”

Detroit’s decision to use Montgomery as a closer to run out the clock isn’t new. But this time, it inflated his stats, giving him season highs in carries and snaps, plus a passing touchdown that padded his fantasy total.

It’s rare to get two clear sell-high windows for a player in such a short period, but Montgomery’s managers now have exactly that opportunity — if they’re bold enough to take it, even amid the chaos of bye weeks.