Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Bucky Irving is Much Better Than Chase Brown
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There are star-studded running backs, sleeper running backs, and new breakouts. The new breakouts are Chase Brown and Bucky Irving. Both players broke out in 2024 to command their respective backfields. The Bengals and Buccaneers have become certified, top-five offenses in football. With both running back looking at safe, majority workloads, they both have huge fantasy football value ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Chase Brown
Despite his breakout year, Chase Brown does not strike me as an elite caliber runner of the ball. His PFF rushing grade was 73.8 last year, not bad, but not elite either. However, if any position can have success without being the best at his craft, it will be at running back. The factors of offensive line work, quarterback play, and scheming work very much to the benefit of a running back. Chase Brown is the beneficiary of that.
The Bengals have an abysmal offensive line once again. It is amazing to me that the front office has been unable to get Joe Burrow a good offensive line. They are wasting talent capable of winning multiple super bowls. Anyway, this aspect does not benefit Chase Brown. He may have found himself to relevancy in 2024, but this may regress before it improves given the situation before him.
Chase Brown will still be the majority back with passing value as well. Brown had 54 catches in 10 starts in 2024. He will find value for sure, it just may become limited in explosive play ability should the offensive line remain poor.
Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving is a player that I love this season. The Buccaneers appear to view Irving as a workhorse back from them, highly devaluing the fantasy value of Rachaad White, Sean Tucker. In fact, I would not be surprised to see White traded mid-season. This offensive line is much better than that of the Bengals.
The Buccaneers are fielding an elite receiving core in 2025. Their quarterback play from Baker Mayfield has been ideal. The offensive line is top-five in the NFL. There is little reason to have any doubt in the Buccaneers offense. When Bucky Irving commands 60-80% of the snap-share, he will breakout explosive plays and become a highly talented player in 2025. Irving had a 90.0 rushing grade in 2024, per PFF.
Bucky Irving looking like a WR on this TD 🙌
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
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Who to Draft at ADP?
This is an absolute no brainer for me. I will take Bucky Irving all day long. He is a better player with a better offensive line and offensive upside. Where success will lie with the Bengals will be in their pass game. The Bucs will do it as a whole unit.
Draft Bucky Irving over Chase Brown 100% of the time.
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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.