ESPN Fantasy Football on Bucky Irving
From the article
Bucky Irving was viewed as a fringe RB2 throughout draft season and makes for a borderline starting option here in Week 1. Irving has plenty of competition for touches in Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker, but the latter is not fully healthy and may not play much or at all.
STACKED’s take
Irving's fringe RB2 role improves if Tucker remains sidelined with injury.
Irving was viewed as a fringe RB2 throughout draft season and makes for a borderline starting option in Week 1. Though he faces competition for touches from Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker, Tucker is not fully healthy and may not play much or at all—notably, Tucker handled a large bulk of the team's goal line carries down the stretch last season while Irving had zero carries inside the opponent's 5-yard line. Irving will face a Cincinnati defense that was poor against running backs last season, though that should improve in 2026 after the additions of Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe. The source views Irving as a fringe top-20 back who is a better RB2 option if Tucker is sidelined.
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