Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving

Friday, May 30, 8:41 PM

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (foot) did not participate in voluntary OTA workouts on Friday. Mixon is currently in a walking boot, but it's reportedly not a serious injury. The star running back played through an ankle injury in the playoffs, so maybe it's not 100 percent healed yet. Regardless, fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned as Mixon should be ready to go in time for training camp. The Texans aren't going to push Mixon onto the field this early into camp when he's not fully healthy. This minor injury shouldn't impact his status on draft boards.

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.