Who Should I Start? James Conner or Bucky Irving
Week 5 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
James Conner News
Friday, October 2, 12:05 PM
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot) is progressing, but the team still isn't putting a date on his return. Head coach Mike LaFleur said Conner is doing well and reiterated that Arizona wants him back when he can perform at his normal level, not simply when he's able to get through a practice. Conner opened the season on injured reserve while continuing his recovery from the right foot injury that ended his 2025 season in Week 3. He can become eligible to practice next week after serving the required four-game absence, though the Cardinals have not said they will immediately open his 21-day window. That matters with Jeremiyah Love emerging as Arizona's lead back and Tyler Allgeier still involved. Conner is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2023 and 2024, but fantasy managers should treat him as a deeper-league IR stash until there is a clearer return date and role.
Week 5 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.1 | 73.9 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 20.8 | 0.1 |
Bucky Irving News
Thursday, October 8, 8:01 PM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving channeled his inner rookie season in his team's stunning Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. The third-year pro rushed 21 times for 165 yards and one touchdown and caught two of three targets for 10 yards and another score. He gashed the hapless Cowboys defense multiple times, including on a special rush in which he juked multiple defenders to break through the defensive line and ran down the sideline for a huge explosive play. Irving dominated backfield touches for his team, with no other Bucs RB handling more than five carries, which is excellent news for his fantasy value moving forward. He appears to have put any injury concerns behind him and slammed the door shut on any ideas of a committee backfield moving forward. Dallas' defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and that certainly contributed to Irving's big night, but he made a strong case to be a workhorse RB1 moving forward. A Week 6 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers looms -- they have a middling run defense, which should allow Irving to have another solid outing. He's pushed back into low-end RB1 territory for now.
James Conner vs. Bucky Irving
Still trying to decide between Conner and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that James Conner is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 15.1 points.
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