Fantasy Football Draft Debate: Quinshon Judkins vs. Bucky Irving

Evaluating who is the better fantasy draft pick between Cleveland Browns RB Quinshon Judkins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving.

Aug 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) before the game between the Browns and the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two RBs who have high ceilings and low floors for the upcoming 2026 fantasy season are Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving and Cleveland Browns RB Quinshon Judkins.

Their current ADPs for PPR  in ESPN fantasy leagues are the following: Judkins is RB21, and Irving is RB20. With their ADPs being so close, here is a deep-dive evaluation of who is the better fantasy pick between the two RBs for the 2026 season.

Bucky Irving

Aug 6, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a 2024 season where Irving finished as RB13 in PPR fantasy formats, he had a bit of a sophomore slump in 2025.  Last season he logged 588 rushing yards, 277 receiving yards, and four TDs. He was hindered by injury as well, limiting him to 13 games, all which led him to finish as RB34 in PPR.

The main roadblock for Irving pursuing a breakout fantasy season in 2026 is the Buccaneers RB2 Kenny Gainwell. Last season, Gainwell had the best season of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, logging 537 rushing yards, 486 rushing yards, and eight TDs. That led him to finish as RB16 in PPR fantasy formats. 

Gainwell was one of the best receiving backs in the NFL last season, and that certainly hurts Irving’s ceiling if the Bucs choose to use him in passing downs.  Last season for the Steelers, Gainwell played 69% of the Steelers' third-down snaps. 

Irving in the 2024 season had 47 receptions and 292 receiving yards. 

Quinshon Judkins

Jul 30, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs a play during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Judkins in his rookie season had some great moments, especially early in his run as the Browns' RB1. In his first four games, he averaged 89.3 rushing yards, 2.3 receptions, and 18 carries per game. He also logged two TDs. Over that span in PPR fantasy formats, he was RB13.

His production started to fade in the rest of the season, as he ultimately finished as RB26 in PPR. So far in the brief sample that the preseason has provided, it certainly did not give any confidence that Judkins' production could jump back up.

In the lone preseason game that Judkins played in against the Chicago Bears, he had four carries for nine yards. 

Judkins will need to stand out as a rusher, as he does not have a ton of upside as a pass catcher. Last season he had 26 receptions and 171 receiving yards. The potential emergence of RB2 Dylan Sampson could also limit those receiving opportunities. In the lone preseason game Sampson played, he had two receptions for 49 yards.

Final Verdict

When it comes to who is a better fantasy draft pick between Irving and Gainwell, Irving is.

Back in 2024, Irving showed that even in a fairly split backfield, he could be fantasy relevant. In the 2024 season, he played an average of 45.2% of snaps and finished as RB13. Last season, Judkins played in 50% of snaps when available in his rookie season and finished as RB25.  

So even if Gainwell ends up playing a big role, there is still more upside with Irving than Judkins in fantasy, at least for this season.

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