As soon as the Lions drafted running back Jahmyr Gibbs Thursday night, it seemed to mark the end of D’Andre Swift’s three-year run in Detroit. Sure enough, the Lions traded Swift to the Eagles on Saturday. Philadelphia sent a seventh-round pick (No. 219) and a 2025 fourth-round pick to Detroit in exchange for Swift and a seventh-round pick (No. 249).
The move is good news from a fantasy standpoint for both Swift and Gibbs, though more for the latter. The Lions now have Gibbs and free-agent signee David Montgomery in their backfield. With both Swift and Jamaal Williams – who led the NFL last season with 17 rushing touchdowns – out of the picture, that creates a lot more opportunity for the Lions’ shiny new toy, Gibbs.
As for Swift, this could be a big move for him, but the jury is still out. Injuries limited him a bit last season and he rushed for 542 yards, adding 48 receptions for 389 yards and scoring a total of eight touchdowns. He joins an Eagles backfield that is still crowded even with the departure of leading rusher Miles Sanders. Philadelphia signed Rashaad Penny in free agency, though Penny has been injury prone. The Eagles still have Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott as well. And don’t forget: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has scored 23 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons, so he’s bound to vulture some of those numbers again.
Swift, in the final year of his contract, has a chance to be the No. 1 back and post solid numbers, but it’s more likely he’ll finish with numbers comparable to what Sanders did last season. In 2022, Sanders rushed for 1,269 yards and 11 TDs, RB15 in PPR leagues.
That’s not bad, but one more thing to consider. While a lot of people are thinking this is a big move and Swift will be a star with the Eagles, don’t forget that there’s a reason Detroit drafted Gibbs in the first place. The Lions weren’t satisfied with Swift. A turnaround in Philly is no guarantee.
