Predicting the Lions RB3 battle, is it time to move towards the future for Detroit?
The Detroit Lions will begin training camp in less than two weeks when rookies report on July 16. Until then, we're going to be making predictions on the biggest camp battles of the summer.
Craig Reynolds vs Sione Vaki vs Kye Robichaux vs Anthony Tyus
The Lions are set at running back in terms of who the starters are today. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are the best running back duo in the league. But there's still a big battle for that third spot, and that third spot could be a big deal in the future. Let's talk about the combatants.
Craig Reynolds
The incumbent at RB3. Reynolds has been with the Lions for a while now. This will be his fifth season on the team. We've always seen Reynolds participate for the Lions, and 2023 was a nice season, but 2024 was the least he had gotten on the field during his time with the Lions, in which he was healthy.
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At 29 years old, Reynolds is getting a little older and he's only on a one-year deal. Eventually, the Lions will look to the future, but will that be this year?
Sione Vaki
Part of the reason that Reynolds didn't get as many looks in 2024 is that Vaki took some of those looks in his rookie year. The Lions moved up in the 2024 NFL Draft to get the then-safety and turn him into a running back based on the little bit of running back he had played at Utah.
It made sense that they wanted to give him some time to learn the position in the NFL, but in my opinion, he's not meant to just be a depth guy. I think the Lions look at Vaki as the heir to David Montgomery's throne when Montgomery moves on. Which might not be far away when you look at how his contract is structured.
Kye Robichaux
An undrafted rookie with a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but that does not mean that Robichaux can't have a big time camp and preseason and land a spot on the practice squad. It can happen.
Anthony Tyus
Now this guy is interesting for sure. He didn't get a lot of playing time when he was at Northwestern, but at Ohio last year, he led the MAC with 1,215 yards and had nine touchdowns too. He can run the ball pretty well. Like Robichaux, it is a long shot to get over Reynolds or Vaki, but he can fight for a practice squad spot too.
Who's getting the job?
I have to go with Sione Vaki, and it's because he's the future for the Lions at the position, and it's time to start moving that way. It doesn't mean that Craig Reynolds gets cut or something like that, but it does mean that he's going to take a backseat to the younger player.
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Related: Predicting the Lions' backup quarterback battle, including the addition of a third man
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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