Who Should I Start? Bucky Irving or Ashton Jeanty

Monday, August 4, 1:31 PM

ESPN's Dan Graziano writes that he is trying to take Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving pretty early in fantasy drafts. Graziano explains that the Bucs love Irving, and while they also have a role planned for Rachaad White, Irving is "viewed by people in the building as special enough to warrant a high-volume RB1 role." "His vision," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "His timing of when he's supposed to hit the gas. He's patient, patient and then hits it. I just think he's always looking to score. It's tough to see in practice. Like, last year at this time I was like, 'Eh. We'll see. It looks good.' But didn't expect it to be like it was. He's just tough to bring down. He's strong, he's got great vision, he understands it, and then also you add in the ability to catch too. He's well-rounded." The 22-year-old had a 1,000-yard season with eight touchdowns in his rookie campaign and should be heavily involved in the passing attack, too, making him a low-end RB1 target in fantasy in 2025.

Wednesday, June 25, 6:15 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty has made a strong impression within the organization, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Head coach Pete Carroll said Jeanty was "every bit" of what the team hoped for during offseason workouts as he showcased his pass-catching abilities and understanding of the offense. The Boise State product received most of the first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp, an indication that he's already established himself as the team's RB1. "He's such a strong and dynamic back," left tackle Kolton Miller said. "Even if he gets hit, he's still balanced, and that's super unique." There's been talk that the Raiders could use a committee backfield in 2025, but they didn't draft Jeanty sixth overall for that. He's going to cost a pretty penny in fantasy drafts and is already considered a top-five fantasy back going into his rookie campaign.