Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Bucky Irving

Tuesday, May 27, 2:39 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. was absent from Day 4 of the team's OTA practices, and Jaguars reporter Carlos Sanchez believes "signs are pointing toward" a potential trade for the former first-round pick out of Clemson. After missing his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury, Etienne racked up consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he saw his production dip, rushing 150 times for 558 yards and two touchdowns in 15 contests. Tank Bigsby began eating into his workload last year, and now, the team has brought in fourth-round and seventh-round rookie running backs, Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) and LeQuint Allen (Syracuse). There is a new general manager in Jacksonville and a third head coach since the team selected Etienne, so the two sides could be headed toward a split this offseason. If Etienne is dealt, the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Denver Broncos could be potential suitors that could increase his fantasy football value.

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.