Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or Bucky Irving
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.5 | 48.6 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 19.1 | 0.1 |
Jaylen Warren News
Monday, July 27, 6:48 PM
Pittsburgh Steelers 27-year-old running back out of Oklahoma State, Jaylen Warren, finds himself in another timeshare backfield in 2026, even after the Steelers moved on from Kenny Gainwell and brought in 28-year-old Rico Dowdle. Warren finished the 2025 season as the RB16, with 211 carries for 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He contributed through the air as well, hauling in 40 of his 45 targets for 333 yards and two touchdowns. It was Warren's best season of his professional career, which spans four years. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Dowdle spent time together in Dallas in 2024, and Dowdle has now put together back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and five or more total touchdowns. Warren figures to maintain his primary role as the pass-catching back; however, the goal-line work and the timeshare between the two will be sorted out as training camp continues. Neither back is expected to take the lion's share of work, making both backs valuable in what figures to be a run-heavy, short, intermediate passing offense with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers still under center. Warren remains a valuable fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats heading into the 2026 season.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.7 | 56.8 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 19.1 | 0.1 |
Bucky Irving News
Friday, July 24, 12:28 PM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has already declared running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) as healthy following offseason shoulder surgery, but there are still some reasons for concern if you're considering drafting him in fantasy football. Irving burst on the scene as a rookie in Tampa in 2024 with 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 carries while also catching 47 passes for 392 yards as a receiver, but he had an injury-plagued 2025 and finished with 588 rushing yards and just one TD while adding 30 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores. He's looking to return to the 1,000-yard mark in 2026, but will that be possible following the addition of Kenny Gainwell? Pewter Report's Scott Reynolds writes that there's a reason why Bowles has called Irving and Gainwell 1A and 1B. Gainwell is very talented, and the Bucs gave him a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency. He has impressed new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, and he will "see plenty of snaps and touches" this fall to "reduce Irving's workload so he can be more effective with fewer plays." It's how the Bucs' backfield operated when Irving and Rachaad White shared the workload in 2024. Between durability concerns and the loss of volume to Gainwell, Irving is shaping up as a volatile low-end RB2 target in 2026 fantasy drafts.
Jaylen Warren vs. Bucky Irving
Still trying to decide between Warren and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaylen Warren is projected to score 11.5 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 12.7 points.
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