Lions Star Gets Bold 2026 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Prediction

As the NFL kickoff draws closer, the pressure is already mounting on the top teams and superstar players to deliver on expectations. One such name is the Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs, who is stepping into a bigger role for his team with the exit of David Montgomery and signing a new contract that made him the highest-paid running back in the league. While the anticipation is high for the 24-year-old, Good Morning Football co-host on the NFL Network and analyst Kyle Brandt believes he could have a record-breaking season in 2026 and go as far as to win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. 'My offensive player of the year, no preamble here. It is Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions,' Brandt said recently. 'I have been saying it for months now. I think he is going to have a seminal year. I think it is going to be one of the all-time years in this decade that is going to stand out. Astronomical numbers, astronomical highlights.' The 2023 first-round pick has been in Detroit for the past three seasons, winning the Pro Bowl each year and maintaining an elite level of consistency. Entering his fourth season in the big league, Gibbs has the tools to win the honor, and there are reasons to believe he could be a legitimate frontrunner. The Lions Have Put Jahmyr Gibbs in Position for a Big Year In his three years in Detroit, Gibbs has played 49 games and rushed for 3,580 yards, scoring 39 rushing touchdowns in his career along with 675 carries. Besides the impressive rushing numbers, he has 1,449 receiving yards, showing how impactful he is as a dual-threat weapon in the Lions' offense. Throughout his Lions career, Gibbs has shared the workload with David Montgomery. However, it is different this year after the latter's trade to the Houston Texans. So, the 24-year-old is set to take on the entire rushing responsibility, which means his rushing numbers are likely to go up, putting him in the conversation for Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, the significant upgrade of the Lions' offensive line could be another big reason why Gibbs could have a big year ahead. Even the most explosive running backs need strong offensive linemen to create space, and this offseason, Brad Holmes reshaped the Lions' O-Line by bringing in veteran Cade Mays and signing first-round rookie OT Blake Miller. The offensive upgrade puts Gibbs in a great position to pick up big chunks of yardage. While the odds may favor the Lions star to win the OPY award, elite running backs have become regular contenders for the honor. Running Backs Have Become Familiar Winners Of The Award Three running backs have taken the Offensive Player of the Year award home since 2020. Eagles star Saquon Barkley had a record-setting year in 2024 when he logged over 2,000 rushing yards and helped the franchise win the Super Bowl that year. Following his impressive display, he was the deserving winner of the honor. A year before that, San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey became OPY, recording a career-best 1,459 rushing yards. The Ravens RB Derrick Henry won the award in 2020 after rushing for 2,027 yards. If Gibbs does enough to secure the honor in the 2026 season, his final numbers could very well fall somewhere around that mark.