Fantasy Football Running Back Debate: Bhayshul Tuten vs. Bucky Irving
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Whether you are taking a zero-RB approach or seeking a second or third running back in fantasy football drafts, Bhayshul Tuten and Bucky Irving are potential options.
There is certainly upside and risk attached to both Tuten and Irving entering the 2026 NFL season. With that in mind, let’s discuss whether you should target Tuten or Irvin in fantasy football this year.
All stats used in this article are from Sumer Sports unless stated otherwise. The average draft position (ADP) for each player in this article is from FantasyPros’ real-time ADP for half-PPR leagues.
The Case for Bhayshul Tuten
FantasyPros’ Real-Time ADP: 55.5 (RB23)
Tuten handled an extremely limited role as a rookie in 2025, averaging a 21% snap rate, which was the third-highest mark on the Jaguars. Travis Etienne Jr. and LeQuint Allen Jr. both saw higher snap shares than Tuten last season, and Tuten topped a 30% snap rate just once in his 15 games played.
Bhayshul Tuten adds to the @Jaguars' lead!
— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025
NYJvsJAX on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/j3R2nfNbsN
However, Etienne has departed for the New Orleans Saints, and they’ve replaced him with Chris Rodriguez Jr. While Rodriguez could be a headache as a goal-line option for the Jaguars, his six career receptions leave the door open for Tuten to handle valuable passing-down work.
For Tuten to return value in fantasy football, he’ll need to be trusted in pass protection and build on having the 13th-best rushing success rate (45.8%) in 2025.
The Case for Bucky Irving
FantasyPros’ Real-Time ADP: 48.9 (RB21)
The stock arrow was trending upward for Irving to conclude the 2024 campaign, as he posted 15-plus fantasy points in 8 of his last 12 games. This led to him being the RB11 in fantasy points per game (15.3) from Week 6 to Week 18 of his rookie season.
BUCKY IRVING 72-YARD TD
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
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Sadly, due to shoulder and foot injuries last season, Irving was limited to 10 games and finished as the RB18 in fantasy points per game (12.3), despite being a popular breakout pick in the early rounds. While Rachaad White has left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Washington Commanders, Kenneth Gainwell now figures to have a receiving role out of Tampa Bay’s backfield in 2026.
Irving has flashed receiving upside in his first two seasons and had the 11th-highest target share (11.3%) among RBs in 2025, but Gainwell had the fourth-most receptions (73) on the fifth-highest target share (16.3%) for the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. Even with Sean Tucker returning, Irving can be the primary starter and the preferred goal-line option upon being healthier entering 2026.
The Final Verdict: Draft Tuten or Irving?
Once again, there are pros and cons to taking Tuten and Irving in 2026. Tuten is an unproven second-year back who could excel in a Liam Coen offense with an expanded workload, while Irving is capable of bouncing back following an injury-riddled 2025 season.
Both Tuten and Irving have potential roadblocks due to having competition for valuable touches. However, Irving has shown more explosiveness in his young career, and Gainwell shouldn’t put too much of a damper on Irving’s rushing upside.
When picking between Irving and Tuten in fantasy football drafts, taking the Bucs’ definitive starter slightly earlier is the ideal choice.
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Skyler Carlin is an experienced sports writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, college basketball, and soccer for FanDuel Research and USA Today. Outside of writing, he enjoys cooking, watching movies, and playing video games.
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