Who Should I Start? Sean Tucker or Brashard Smith

Sunday, August 10, 2:11 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles wants to see running back Sean Tucker get the ball more in 2025, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Tucker is entering his third year with the team and has logged 65 career carries in 28 games played. Tampa Bay has a clear top two in their running back room with Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, but White (groin) left the team's preseason game on Saturday due to a groin injury. According to Smith, Bowles' comments about wanting Tucker more involved in the offense came even before White got hurt. Assuming White can return relatively quickly, it sounds like Tampa Bay may be planning to use all three backs. That could potentially impact the fantasy outlook for Irving, who currently profiles as a low-end RB1.

Sunday, August 24, 5:20 PM

Including the opening kickoff of the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason finale against the Bears on Friday, rookie running back Brashard Smith was featured on three of the game's first seven plays. And even though the 7th-round former wide receiver dropped a pass on 2nd-and-10, he rewarded his coaches for going back to him, taking a 12-yard pass to the Bears' three-yard line three plays later to set up Pacheco's opening drive score. While seeing action in all three preseason games, Smith has seen six targets and caught four of them. A natural pass catcher, the Chiefs appear to have a role in mind for him, and it's one that we've seen lead to fantasy value in Andy Reid's offense. Jerick McKinnon was a league winner in 2022, catching 16 passes for four touchdowns during the fantasy playoffs, and if Smith can become the featured pass-catching back for the Chiefs, he could prove to be a late-round steal.