Start Bijan Robinson or Bucky Irving? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Bijan Robinson over Bucky Irving in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Bijan Robinson at 21.9 points and Bucky Irving at 13.8, a gap of 8.1. Drafters take Bijan Robinson at ADP 2 and Bucky Irving at 45.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 22.0 fantasy points for Bijan Robinson, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Bijan Robinson is 93 rushing yards, 25 receiving yards, 3-4 receptions and 1.1 touchdowns (14, 13, 11 and 13 market sources).

Player markets imply 13.8 fantasy points for Bucky Irving, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Bucky Irving is 64 rushing yards, 14 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.6 touchdowns (14, 4, 4 and 10 market sources).

That puts Bijan Robinson 8.1 points ahead of Bucky Irving on the market projections.

Week 9 matchups

Bijan Robinson and ATL host CIN on Sunday at 9:30 AM ET.

CIN allowed 19.4 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 7 games, the 7th fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 86 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against CIN and caught passes for 30 more yards.

Bucky Irving and TB visit CHI on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

CHI allowed 17.8 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 8 games, the 3rd fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 72 yards and 0.4 touchdowns a game against CHI and caught passes for 33 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, Bijan Robinson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Bijan Robinson is not on the injury report.

Bucky Irving is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Bijan Robinson played 72 percent of ATL snaps, took 66 percent of the carries, drew 15 percent of the targets and had 43 percent of the red zone chances.

Bijan Robinson, Week 5 against BAL: 52 of 64 snaps, 17 carries for 86 yards, 7 targets and 4 catches for 32 yards.

Bijan Robinson, Week 6 against CHI: 43 of 55 snaps, 9 carries for 61 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for -8 yards.

Bijan Robinson, Week 7 against SF: 55 of 69 snaps, 20 carries for 63 yards, 5 targets and 5 catches for 45 yards.

Bijan Robinson, Week 8 against TB: 43 of 53 snaps, 19 carries for 76 yards, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 8, Bucky Irving played 63 percent of TB snaps, took 57 percent of the carries, drew 11 percent of the targets and had 45 percent of the red zone chances.

Bucky Irving, Week 5 against DAL: 39 of 72 snaps, 21 carries for 165 yards, 3 targets and 2 catches for 10 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Bucky Irving, Week 6 against PIT: 63 of 74 snaps, 19 carries for 46 yards, 3 targets and 2 catches for 3 yards.

Bucky Irving, Week 7 against CAR: 37 of 63 snaps, 24 carries for 106 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for 4 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Bucky Irving, Week 8 against ATL: 30 of 60 snaps, 27 carries for 170 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Bijan Robinson played 17 games for ATL and scored 370.8 PPR points, 21.8 a game, finishing RB2.

He ran 287 times for 1478 yards and 7 touchdowns, and caught 79 of 103 targets for 820 yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Bucky Irving played 10 games for TB and scored 138.5 PPR points, 13.9 a game, finishing RB34.

He ran 173 times for 588 yards and 1 touchdown, and caught 30 of 35 targets for 277 yards.

He was on the field for 62 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Bijan Robinson over Ashton Jeanty.
• Start Bijan Robinson over Chase Brown.
• Start Bijan Robinson over Christian McCaffrey.
• Start Ashton Jeanty over Bucky Irving.
• Start Bucky Irving over Bhayshul Tuten.
• Start Bucky Irving over Blake Corum.