Start David Montgomery or Bucky Irving? Week 7

Updated Oct 20, 9:46 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 8 answer posts Tuesday.

Start Bucky Irving over David Montgomery

Start

Bucky Irving

RB · TB · at CAR

Market projects: 11.6; recent weeks avg
CAR D vs RB: 25.7; 5th most to RBs (2026)
Upside: Rising; 77 of 100 at RB
Snap share: 65%; Through Week 6
Target share: 11%; Through Week 6

Sit

David Montgomery

RB · HOU · vs NYG · Out

Market projects: 10.0; recent weeks avg
NYG D vs RB: 21.6; 15th most to RBs (2026)
Snap share: 46%; Through Week 5
Target share: 4%; Through Week 5

Should I drop David Montgomery for Bucky Irving?

Yes, on the rest of the season. Bucky Irving projects 120 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (12.0 a game over 10 games), David Montgomery 108 (10.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Bucky Irving over David Montgomery. David Montgomery is listed out.

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Our Week 7 call

Start Bucky Irving over David Montgomery in Week 7.

David Montgomery is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start Bucky Irving. Drafters take Bucky Irving at ADP 45 and David Montgomery at 52.

What the market projects

No Week 7 player market is posted for Bucky Irving yet. His market-based projections were 11.5, 11.2 and 11.9 points in Weeks 4, 5 and 6, an average of 11.6, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

The market-based projection for Bucky Irving is 0.6 touchdowns (8 market sources).

No Week 7 player market is posted for David Montgomery yet. His market-based projections were 10.2 and 9.8 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 10.0, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

That puts Bucky Irving 1.5 points ahead of David Montgomery on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Bucky Irving and TB visit CAR on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CAR allowed 25.7 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 5 games, the 5th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 103 yards and 1.2 touchdowns a game against CAR and caught passes for 34 more yards.

David Montgomery and HOU host NYG on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYG allowed 21.6 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 6 games, the 15th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 108 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against NYG and caught passes for 22 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, Bucky Irving has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Bucky Irving is not on the injury report.

David Montgomery is listed as out with a groin injury.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Bucky Irving played 65 percent of TB snaps, took 61 percent of the carries, drew 11 percent of the targets and had 38 percent of the red zone chances.

Bucky Irving, Week 3 against MIN: 36 of 69 snaps, 15 carries for 46 yards, 4 targets and 2 catches for 12 yards.

Bucky Irving, Week 4 against GB: 37 of 64 snaps, 16 carries for 61 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

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.

Through Week 5, David Montgomery played 46 percent of HOU snaps, took 45 percent of the carries, drew 4 percent of the targets and had 28 percent of the red zone chances.

David Montgomery, Week 2 against CIN: 42 of 80 snaps, 6 carries for 10 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 14 yards.

David Montgomery, Week 3 against IND: 34 of 54 snaps, 11 carries for 33 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards.

David Montgomery, Week 4 against DAL: 31 of 55 snaps, 10 carries for 24 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

David Montgomery, Week 5 against TEN: 9 of 66 snaps, 5 carries for 11 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

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, David Montgomery played 17 games for DET and scored 166.9 PPR points, 9.8 a game, finishing RB27.

He ran 158 times for 716 yards and 8 touchdowns, and caught 24 of 29 targets for 192 yards.

He was on the field for 37 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 7, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop David Montgomery for Bucky Irving?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Bucky Irving projects 120 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (12.0 a game over 10 games), David Montgomery 108 (10.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Bucky Irving over David Montgomery. David Montgomery is listed out.
Should I drop Bucky Irving for David Montgomery?
No. Keep Bucky Irving: he projects 120 market-implied PPR points from Week 7 through Week 17 (12.0 a game over 10 games), David Montgomery 108 (10.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 7 the call starts Bucky Irving over David Montgomery. David Montgomery is listed out.