Fantasy Football RB Rankings: Why Josh Jacobs Is An RB1 And Why Bucky Irving Isn't
In this story:
Today we dive into two of the better running backs in the league. According to ADP, Bucky Irving and Josh Jacobs are neighbors. Irving is at 17th overall while Jacobs is at 18th overall. This is RB8 and RB9 respectively. As both players are prime second round picks, today we compare the two and decide who has better value and upside in your 2025 fantasy football drafts.
Bucky Irving - RB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last season we saw a total breakout effort from Bucky Irving. This is especially relevant because Dave Canales' 2023 offense saw a Top-15 year out of their other running back, Rachaad White. Fans have fallen in love with Bucky Irving and he has become First Team All-Dog in my books.
In 2024, Bucky Irving recorded the following: 207 Rushes, 1,122 Yards, 8 Touchdowns... 47 Receptions, 392 Yards, 0 Touchdowns. This was all while he technically started just three games.
Including the playoffs, Bucky Irving out-snapped Rachaad White in the final 6/8 games. This followed the Week 11 bye where Irving had not had a single game yet where he out-snapped White. Clearly, Bucky Irving gained the trust of the team as the season went on.
As for the outlook on Bucky Irving, it looks pretty solid. Rumors have been floating that the Bucs are still going to limit his touches to keep him fresh. The Bucs still roster Rachaad White and Sean Tucker and they do trust them to touch the ball as well. Despite the surge of excellence that Irving has provided, it still appears he is not seeing a massive amount of touches. I would anticipate 50-70% of the touches on a per game basis, which is good, just not elite.
Our Fantasy on SI projections do still see a very nice season out of Bucky. He appears to be the best running back on the team in addition to his impressive pass-catching ability. Cream rises to the top, and that is Bucky Irving. Expect a very good and efficient workload for Bucky.
Josh Jacobs - RB - Green Bay Packers
Much like Bucky Irving, Josh Jacobs had a career-year in 2024. Many Packers fans had been unsure about the Jacobs signing. They had wanted the front office to retain Aaron Jones, and they failed to do so. Instead, they signed a rare, big contract in Josh Jacobs and he proceeded to answer the call.
Jacobs saw the following in 2024: 301 Rushes, 1,329 Yards, 15 Touchdowns... 36 Receptions, 342 Yards, 1 Touchdown.
The Packers running back now looks to run-it-back in his second year as a Packer. The depth chart shows Mar'Shawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson behind Jacobs, but that should be no threat. Josh Jacobs is the best player on this offense, and his touches will show it.
Matt LaFleur runs a very good, relevant offense. He is a brilliant offensive-mind and that will only help Jacobs. Over 300 rushes in a year in not common for many running backs, but Josh Jacobs did that and all signs point to that stat being met again. I think it's very possible that Josh Jacobs could finish as a Top-3 running back in fantasy and thus, he is being very undervalued in ADP.
Josh Jacobs had 337 last year and felt completely healthy after season. To point his body was back to normal just one week into offseason. First time in his career that’s happened.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) July 23, 2025
Scary how good he might be this fall.
“I don’t know if I’m hitting my prime, but I feel good.” pic.twitter.com/WQWl8GVAci
Comparing Bucky Irving and Josh Jacobs
Upside, upside, upside. It is all I talk about. It is quite obvious how that works here. Josh Jacobs can very easily touch the ball 350 times this year. The offense runs heavily through him and he is productive in the process.
Bucky Irving is in a timeshare where he may be the majority stakeholders, but not the only one. He has more competition for touches than Jacobs and though he may find himself quickly with a majority role, Jacobs is also a better player. When in doubt, I always side with the better player. You know what usage you are getting with Josh Jacobs and I just do not understand drafting a running back with 100 less carries. To stamp the envelope, Josh Jacobs had 16 touchdowns last year — 5th in the NFL.
More Fantasy Sports on SI News:
Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.