Sione Vaki Fantasy Stats

Across his first two games of 2026, Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki has recorded 38 scrimmage yards on five touches. With veteran Lions back Isiah Pacheco (back, knee) currently on Injured Reserve, Vaki has served as the team's RB2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs. However, Detroit has given Gibbs the vast majority of its backfield work so far this season, utilizing Vaki mostly as a pass-protector for quarterback Jared Goff. Vaki has almost no history of being an impactful offensive player, as he has recorded just 15 touches across 29 career games with the Lions. While the 25-year-old carries some stash appeal in deeper fantasy leagues as a handcuff running back option, Vaki should likely remain on the bench for fantasy managers in his Week 3 matchup against the New York Jets.

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki is not getting enough touches to help fantasy lineups, but his spot in the backfield suddenly matters a lot more. Vaki has three carries for 14 yards and two catches for 24 yards through two games, including 20 total yards on two touches against Buffalo. Detroit now lists him directly behind Jahmyr Gibbs on the depth chart, with Jacob Saylors third. Isiah Pacheco (back) is also expected to miss significant time after undergoing surgery, so this does not look like a temporary one-week opening. Gibbs is still handling a massive share of the backfield work, which leaves Vaki without much standalone value. The appeal is what happens if Gibbs ever misses time. RotoBaller includes Vaki among its high-upside handcuffs and recommends him in 14-team PPR leagues. He is a deep bench stash right now, but the path to a much larger role is clearer than his five touches through two games would suggest.

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki emerged as his team's RB2 in Week 1, playing 29% of Detroit's offensive snaps in its overtime win over the New Orleans Saints. With Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (back, knee) expected to miss three-plus months after undergoing back surgery, Vaki could have an extended runway as the primary backup to star Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs. However, Vaki still projects to play a limited role on offense, as he recorded two carries for seven yards and one catch for 11 yards in Week 1. With Gibbs fully healthy heading into Detroit's matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, RotoBaller ranks Vaki as the RB68 in Week 2. Deeper-league managers may want to consider stashing Vaki off the waiver wire for his handcuff appeal, but he's not worthy of starting consideration against the Bills.

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki only had three touches in Sunday's 31-30 overtime win over New Orleans, but his playing time made the bigger statement. Vaki carried twice for seven yards and caught his only target for 11 more while logging 22 offensive snaps. Jacob Saylors did not play an offensive snap, and Detroit's current depth chart now lists Vaki second behind Jahmyr Gibbs. That matters even more after Isiah Pacheco underwent back surgery and was given an estimated 12-week recovery timeline. Gibbs is still going to dominate this backfield after handling 34 touches in the opener, so Vaki has little immediate starting value. The path behind him is much cleaner than it looked a week ago, though. Vaki still needs to improve after an uneven opener, particularly in pass protection, but he has the first crack at the reserve role while Pacheco is sidelined. He is worth stashing in 14-team PPR leagues and deeper formats before Detroit's backfield hierarchy becomes more settled.

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki has a little more life as a deep-league stash with Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve. Dan Campbell said Vaki and Jacob Saylors will split the No. 2 role behind Jahmyr Gibbs against New Orleans, so there is no clean handcuff here. Still, Vaki has earned some trust. Campbell liked the progress he made as both a runner and pass catcher during camp and said he is comfortable using him when Gibbs needs a breather. The problem is we have barely seen Vaki on offense in the NFL. He has seven career carries for 18 yards and three catches for 37 yards, while Saylors is going to get work too. Vaki is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and sits in the 14-team PPR range on the current waiver list. That makes him more of a cheap bench swing than someone to start in Week 1.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that the team's RB2 role behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs will be by committee, according to Brad Galli. Campbell thinks that both Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki will be ready when Gibbs needs a breather. The head coach sees Vaki getting carries, but knows that Saylors will contribute on offense and special teams. The news makes it hard for fantasy managers in deeper leagues to pinpoint the preferred handcuff option for Gibbs. For what it is worth, Vaki is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues, while Saylors is rostered in just 2% of leagues. Vaki, a former fourth-rounder from Utah in 2024, has seen only seven carries for 18 yards and has three catches for 37 yards in 27 games (zero starts) in his first two NFL seasons. Saylors, a former undrafted free agent out of East Tennessee State, ran the ball twice for 11 yards last year and was not targeted as a receiver. Neither RB will have any standalone fantasy appeal as long as Gibbs is healthy, and if Gibbs misses time with an injury, Vaki and Saylors would likely split the backfield down the middle.

With an unexpected absence at the top of the depth chart, Detroit Lions running backs Isiah Pacheco and Sione Vaki have been splitting first-team reps in the early days of training camp. Three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs has not been practicing as he seeks a long-term contract extension, and head coach Dan Campbell is taking advantage of an opportunity to load his other backs up with valuable work. Pacheco signed a one-year deal this offseason and is expected to handle parts of the vacated David Montgomery role, while Vaki enters his third season with the team after Detroit spent a fourth-round pick on him following a collegiate career in which he played predominantly on the defensive side of the ball. While Campbell has expressed confidence that an extension with Gibbs will get done, he is not overlooking the situation in front of him and is using it to prepare both players for any unexpected call to action over the course of a long 17-game season.

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki is a "natural pass-catcher," and "the opportunity is there" for him to cut into presumed Lions RB2 Isiah Pacheco's touches, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. A fourth-round pick in 2024, Vaki has mostly played special teams through his first two professional seasons and has just seven career NFL carries. The Lions still have star running back Jahmyr Gibbs firmly atop their running back depth chart, but the team replaced veteran RB2 David Montgomery with Pacheco over the offseason. Pacheco has significantly more experience than Vaki, but he's averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on over 200 attempts since the start of the 2024 season. If Vaki can prove himself with a strong performance in training camp and the preseason, he could potentially threaten Pacheco's status as the Lions' clear backup running back. In deeper dynasty leagues, Vaki could be worth stashing just in case he emerges as the handcuff option in Detroit should Gibbs get injured.

The Detroit Lions downgraded special teamer Sione Vaki (groin) to out during Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. Listed as a running back, Vaki is a key part of the Lions' special teams, but doesn't have much of a role on offense. His injury will be worth monitoring in the coming weeks for Detroit fans, but he's not on the radar for fantasy.

The Detroit Lions said running back Sione Vaki (groin) is questionable to return to their Monday Night Football game against the Baltimore Ravens. Though he's listed officially as a running back, the second-year player doesn't factor much in the offense, but is a key special teamer for the Lions. A two-way player who also played safety at Utah, Vaki was a fourth-round selection of the Lions in 2024. From a fantasy perspective, Vaki isn't a rosterable player, even in IDP leagues.