Who Should I Start? Kenneth Walker III or Bucky Irving

Tuesday, June 10, 9:17 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) has been limited during practice due to an ankle injury, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. "But he should be fine," Macdonald added. It seems that Walker is always dealing with some kind of lower-body injury. The 24-year-old has yet to play a full season in the NFL and played just once in the final five weeks of the 2024 season due to an ankle injury before eventually finishing on Injured Reserve. It's yet another reminder that Walker is as injury-prone as they come as an RB2 in fantasy. When healthy, though, Walker has been productive, scoring 24 rushing touchdowns in 41 games over three seasons. Seattle is expected to lean heavily on their rushing attack in 2025, so Walker would be the primary beneficiary if he can stay on the field. Handcuffing Zach Charbonnet to him would be a wise move.

Thursday, June 26, 6:10 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, who is expected to see more opportunities in 2025, has improved his footwork and pass protection, according to head coach Todd Bowles. "He got to where he needed to be, but his footwork wasn't always the cleanest last season," Bowles says. "He's cleaned that up." Despite only "starting" three games in 2024, Irving finished as the RB13 in point-per-reception scoring in fantasy in his rookie season by racking up 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 rushing attempts. He added 47 receptions on 52 targets for 392 yards through the air. The 22-year-old makes up for his lack of size and athleticism with excellent vision and a knack for breaking tackles in open space. The primary concern with Irving as it pertains to being a true RB1 is the question of whether he can be a true workhorse back and withstand all the physical punishment between the tackles.