Who Should I Start? Jahmyr Gibbs or Bucky Irving

Monday, October 6, 1:20 AM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 54 yards on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He also caught two passes for 33 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown reception. If not for finding the end zone, Gibbs would have had a relatively modest final line of 14 touches and 87 yards, so fantasy managers will appreciate that he was able to cross the goal line. It was interesting to see David Montgomery reclaim the lead-back role with his 18 carries, but that could have been a product of the game script. It also may have been part of the Lions' effort to honor the narrative of Montgomery returning to his birthplace of Cincinnati once the score got out of hand. Whatever the reason, managers should have no concerns about Gibbs going forward. He remains one of the league's most talented and versatile running backs, and it doesn't hurt that he plays for a high-powered offense within a 4-1 team. The 23-year-old remains a mid-range RB1 option in fantasy football for Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Monday, October 6, 3:10 PM

After missing Sunday's Week 5 nailbiter over the Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) is viewed as day-to-day as he deals with a shoulder subluxation, in addition to a sprained foot. After reports emerged last week that Irving was late in reporting the shoulder injury to the team, Head Coach Todd Bowles informed reporters that he was aware of the situation early on. The team is now taking a cautious approach with their second year back. With Irving sidelined on Sunday, it was Rachaad White who saw the majority of the work on the ground, handling 14 of the team's 18 running back rush attempts, and while he only averaged 2.9 yards per carry, he salvaged his fantasy day with two rushing touchdowns and an additional four receptions for 30 yards. With Irving likely to miss additional time and Sean Tucker seeing little involvement in a back-and-forth game, White could be in line for another strong fantasy performance in Week 6 when the Buccaneers face a 49ers defense that just allowed a monster performance to Rams running back Kyren Williams.