Start David Montgomery or Rhamondre Stevenson? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Rhamondre Stevenson over David Montgomery in Week 1.

Rhamondre Stevenson is priced by the books at 11.1 projected points. David Montgomery has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take Rhamondre Stevenson at ADP 60 and David Montgomery at 52.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for David Montgomery in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 11.1 fantasy points for Rhamondre Stevenson, with 80 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

David Montgomery and HOU host BUF.

BUF allowed 33.9 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 7th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns against BUF and caught passes for 17 more yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson and NE visit SEA on Wednesday at 8:20 PM ET.

SEA allowed 18.5 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 12th fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 62 yards and no touchdowns against SEA and caught passes for 53 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, David Montgomery has the softer matchup.

Injury status

David Montgomery was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Rhamondre Stevenson was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, David Montgomery played 17 games for DET and scored 166.9 PPR points, 9.8 a game, finishing RB27.

He ran 158 times for 716 yards and 8 touchdowns, and caught 24 of 29 targets for 192 yards.

He was on the field for 37 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

David Montgomery, Week 18 of 2025 against CHI: 8 carries for 42 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 13 yards, 6.5 PPR points.

David Montgomery, Week 17 of 2025 against MIN: 22 of 64 snaps, 10 carries for 25 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards, 6.0 PPR points.

David Montgomery, Week 16 of 2025 against PIT: 13 of 74 snaps, 4 carries for 14 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards, 1.4 PPR points.

In 2025, Rhamondre Stevenson played 14 games for NE and scored 178.8 PPR points, 12.8 a game, finishing RB25.

He ran 130 times for 603 yards and 7 touchdowns, and caught 32 of 37 targets for 345 yards.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 18 of 2025 against MIA: 7 carries for 131 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 22 yards, 3 touchdowns, 35.3 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 17 of 2025 against NYJ: 32 of 66 snaps, 8 carries for 47 yards, 5 targets and 5 catches for 55 yards, 2 touchdowns, 27.2 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 16 of 2025 against BAL: 62 of 74 snaps, 8 carries for 51 yards, 3 targets and 2 catches for 27 yards, 1 touchdown, 17.8 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Rhamondre Stevenson scored 14.5 PPR points and David Montgomery scored 28.9.

The call was wrong: David Montgomery outscored Rhamondre Stevenson by 14.4.

Rhamondre Stevenson finished 3.4 points above the 11.1 the props implied.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 1 against SEA: 60 of 71 snaps, 18 carries for 51 yards, 6 targets and 5 catches for 44 yards, 14.5 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson finished as the week's RB17 in PPR scoring.

David Montgomery, Week 1 against BUF: 39 of 79 snaps, 20 carries for 60 yards, 3 targets and 3 catches for 19 yards, 3 touchdowns, 28.9 PPR points.

David Montgomery finished as the week's RB7 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Bhayshul Tuten over David Montgomery.
• Start Bucky Irving over David Montgomery.
• Start D'Andre Swift over David Montgomery.
• Start Rhamondre Stevenson over Bhayshul Tuten.
• Start Bucky Irving over Rhamondre Stevenson.
• Start Rhamondre Stevenson over Chuba Hubbard.