Start Christian McCaffrey or Bucky Irving? Week 9
Updated Nov 4, 6:51 PM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 10 answer posts Tuesday.
Start Christian McCaffrey over Bucky Irving
- Market projects
- 20.7
- fantasy pts
- LV D vs RB
- 25.3
- 6th most to RBs (2026)
- Snap share
- 69%
- Through Week 7
- Target share
- 20%
- Through Week 7
- Market projects
- 14.3
- fantasy pts
- CHI D vs RB
- 17.8
- 3rd fewest to RBs (2026)
- Snap share
- 63%
- Through Week 8
- Target share
- 11%
- Through Week 8
Should I drop Bucky Irving for Christian McCaffrey?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Christian McCaffrey projects 176 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (19.5 a game over 9 games), Bucky Irving 103 (12.9 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts Christian McCaffrey over Bucky Irving, 20.7 to 14.3 projected PPR points. Christian McCaffrey is listed questionable.
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Our Week 9 call
Start Christian McCaffrey over Bucky Irving in Week 9.
Market-based projections have Christian McCaffrey at 20.7 points and Bucky Irving at 14.3, a gap of 6.4. Christian McCaffrey's number is scaled up from a partial market: not every stat the position needs is posted yet, so the rest is estimated from what is. Drafters take Christian McCaffrey at ADP 6 and Bucky Irving at 45. Market coverage on Christian McCaffrey is 70 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.
What the market projects
Player markets imply 14.3 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, 15 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.6 touchdowns (14, 8, 8 and 13 market sources).
Player markets imply 20.7 fantasy points for Christian McCaffrey, with 70 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.
The market-based projection for Christian McCaffrey is 61 rushing yards and 1.2 touchdowns (11 and 9 market sources).
That puts Christian McCaffrey 6.4 points ahead of Bucky Irving on the market projections.
Week 9 matchups
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.
Christian McCaffrey and SF host LV on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.
LV allowed 25.3 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 8 games, the 6th most in the league.
Running backs ran for 130 yards and a touchdown a game against LV and caught passes for 34 more yards.
By points allowed to the position, Christian McCaffrey has the softer matchup.
Injury status
Bucky Irving is not on the injury report.
Christian McCaffrey is listed as questionable with a calf injury.
Usage before Week 9
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.
Through Week 7, Christian McCaffrey played 69 percent of SF snaps, took 46 percent of the carries, drew 20 percent of the targets and had 36 percent of the red zone chances.
Christian McCaffrey, Week 4 against DEN: 49 of 66 snaps, 15 carries for 52 yards, 5 targets and 3 catches for 18 yards, 1 touchdown.
Christian McCaffrey, Week 5 against SEA: 49 of 60 snaps, 11 carries for 68 yards, 3 targets and 3 catches for 15 yards, 1 touchdown.
Christian McCaffrey, Week 6 against WAS: 53 of 62 snaps, 16 carries for 64 yards, 10 targets and 9 catches for 53 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Christian McCaffrey, Week 7 against ATL: 34 of 66 snaps, 7 carries for 39 yards, 7 targets and 6 catches for 61 yards, 1 touchdown.
Their 2025 seasons
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.
In 2025, Christian McCaffrey played 17 games for SF and scored 416.6 PPR points, 24.5 a game, finishing RB1.
He ran 311 times for 1202 yards and 10 touchdowns, and caught 102 of 129 targets for 924 yards.
He was on the field for 83 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
Their other Week 9 calls
Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 9, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.
Drop or keep
Should I drop Bucky Irving for Christian McCaffrey?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Christian McCaffrey projects 176 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (19.5 a game over 9 games), Bucky Irving 103 (12.9 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts Christian McCaffrey over Bucky Irving, 20.7 to 14.3 projected PPR points. Christian McCaffrey is listed questionable.
Should I drop Christian McCaffrey for Bucky Irving?
No. Keep Christian McCaffrey: he projects 176 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (19.5 a game over 9 games), Bucky Irving 103 (12.9 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts Christian McCaffrey over Bucky Irving, 20.7 to 14.3 projected PPR points. Christian McCaffrey is listed questionable.
Should I drop Bucky Irving?Should I drop Christian McCaffrey?
Week 9 on the board
- Is Christian McCaffrey playing Week 9?
- Is Bucky Irving playing Week 9?
- 49ers depth chart
- Buccaneers depth chart
- Week 9 RB rankings
- Week 9 fantasy rankings
- Week 9 start or sit
- Week 9 waiver wire
- Week 9 trade value chart
- Trade deadline buy low, sell high
- Fantasy football rankings
- Start 'em sit 'em Week 9
- Waiver wire pickups
- Fantasy sleepers
- Rest of season rankings
- Week 9 kicker rankings
- Week 9 defense rankings