Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Bucky Irving

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Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts.	Rush. Yds.	Rush TD	Rec.	Rec. Yds.	Rec TD
11.9	0.0	0.0	4.8	51.1	0.3

George Kittle News

Week 5 Could be a Realistic Target for George Kittle's Return

Monday, February 23, 8:24 AM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's (Achilles) optimism for a speedy return in 2026 following a torn Achilles that he suffered in the Wild-Card round win over the Philadelphia Eagles is realistic, according to Dr. Daniel Kaplan, an orthopedic surgeon. Kittle suffered a clean tear that happened high up by his soleus. "They didn't have to drill into my heel," Kittle said. "And where the repair was is where there's more blood flow. And so, it takes some time off the recovery time." Barring a setback during his rehab, it's possible that Kittle could return to the field sometime around September. "It's reasonable to think Week 5 or so would be on the long end of a return," according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Kittle and the Niners are hopeful that when he's back, he'll be able to "return to somewhere close to his usual level of production." The 32-year-old will obviously be pretty risky in fantasy in 2026, but he'll be worth stashing everywhere. If Jake Tongues returns as a restricted free agent, he'll be a low-end TE1 sleeper in the first part of the year until Kittle returns.

Bucky Irving - Tampa Bay (RB)

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Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts.	Rush. Yds.	Rush TD	Rec.	Rec. Yds.	Rec TD
17.7	62.2	0.7	3.6	26.5	0.1

Bucky Irving News

Is Bucky Irving's RB1 Role in Tampa Bay in Danger?

Thursday, March 12, 6:51 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) has been an electric player when healthy through his first two NFL seasons, collecting nearly 2,400 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns across 27 games played. However, Irving recently underwent offseason shoulder surgery after missing seven games in 2025 due to shoulder and ankle ailments. While Irving is expected to be ready to go for the start of 2026, the 23-year-old is an undersized back, and Tampa Bay may have questions about his ability to hold up while shouldering a true RB1 workload. The Buccaneers made a big splash at the running back position early in free agency, signing veteran back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year deal with an eight-figure guarantee. Gainwell is coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and could emerge as Tampa Bay's primary receiving and short-yardage back. The Buccaneers also have a solid third-string option in Sean Tucker, who racked up eight touchdowns in 2025. Irving's fantasy value in dynasty formats looks a bit less clear after the addition of Gainwell to the Tampa Bay backfield.

George Kittle vs. Bucky Irving

Still trying to decide between Kittle and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that George Kittle is projected to score 11.9 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 17.7 points.