Who Should I Start? De'Von Achane or Bucky Irving

Thursday, May 22, 1:08 PM

NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe says that Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane could be in line for even more of a workhorse role on offense in 2025 after proving to be one of the most explosive playmakers at the position in his first two years in the league. Achane has an opportunity to be Miami's clear RB1 after veteran Raheem Mostert joined the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency this offseason. He's been clear about his goals moving forward, too, stating that he thinks he can be a 1,000-yard rusher and a 500-yard receiver. Achane was already a top-10 RBI in PPR scoring in 2024 with 907 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns and 78 receptions, 592 receiving yards and six receiving TDs. There are questions about whether the 5-foot-9, 188-pounder can handle that big of a workload, but Miami's coaching staff isn't worried. Achane's fantasy arrow is pointing upward as a strong RB1.

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.