Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or Bucky Irving

Wednesday, June 4, 12:05 PM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley is working on his chemistry with rookie first-round quarterback Cam Ward this offseason after failing to find much chemistry with QB Will Levis a year ago. Coaches assigned Ridley and Ward lockers next to each other, and their communication appears to be flowing on and off the field, according to the Nashville Post's John Glennon. "It's easy to relate to him for me. He's fun. He's easy to talk ball with. I just like him a lot," Ridley said. The 30-year-old pass-catcher is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has topped 60 catches in five of his six NFL seasons. He finished tied for fifth with 19 catches of 20-plus yards in 2024, and Ward excelled on deep passes last year at Miami. It remains to be seen how good Ward will be in his first NFL season, but Ridley should once again have little competition for targets in Tennessee.

Monday, January 13, 12:53 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving rushed for 77 yards on 17 carries during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also caught two passes for an additional six yards through the air. In the loss, Irving averaged his lowest yards per carry since Week 9 (excluding his injury-shortened Week 14), which is not an indictment on his performance but rather a testament to just how well he's been running the football lately. He carved out the lead-back role once again on Sunday, registering 17 carries to Rachaad White's one. White has essentially been delegated to pass-catching situations, and even then, he continues to lose opportunities to Irving. It has been fascinating to watch this backfield dynamic develop throughout the season, with White slipping way down from the RB1 tier in fantasy football while Irving becomes one of the top running backs in dynasty fantasy football (and a mid-range RB1 in redraft leagues, too). Barring an unexpected change or addition within the Buccaneers' backfield, Irving should remain their primary ball carrier entering 2025.