Start Bucky Irving or Rhamondre Stevenson? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Bucky Irving over Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 1.

Bucky Irving is priced by the books at 7.5 projected points. Rhamondre Stevenson has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take Bucky Irving at ADP 49 and Rhamondre Stevenson at 59. Market coverage on Bucky Irving is 33 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 7.5 fantasy points for Bucky Irving, with 33 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

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

CIN allowed 23.1 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 16th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 60 yards and a touchdown against CIN and caught passes for 51 more yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson and NE visit SEA.

SEA allowed 18.5 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 12th fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 62 yards and no touchdowns against SEA and caught passes for 53 more yards.

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

Injury status

Bucky Irving was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Rhamondre Stevenson was not on the injury report when the call was made.

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.

Bucky Irving, Week 18 of 2025 against CAR: 42 of 67 snaps, 26 carries for 85 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for 13 yards, 10.8 PPR points.

Bucky Irving, Week 17 of 2025 against MIA: 36 of 67 snaps, 9 carries for 19 yards, 6 targets and 5 catches for 14 yards, 8.3 PPR points.

Bucky Irving, Week 16 of 2025 against CAR: 40 of 64 snaps, 19 carries for 71 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards, 7.1 PPR points.

In 2025, Rhamondre Stevenson played 14 games for NE and scored 178.8 PPR points, 12.8 a game, finishing RB25.

He ran 130 times for 603 yards and 7 touchdowns, and caught 32 of 37 targets for 345 yards.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 18 of 2025 against MIA: 7 carries for 131 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 22 yards, 3 touchdowns, 35.3 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 17 of 2025 against NYJ: 32 of 66 snaps, 8 carries for 47 yards, 5 targets and 5 catches for 55 yards, 2 touchdowns, 27.2 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 16 of 2025 against BAL: 62 of 74 snaps, 8 carries for 51 yards, 3 targets and 2 catches for 27 yards, 1 touchdown, 17.8 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Bucky Irving scored 20.3 PPR points and Rhamondre Stevenson scored 14.5.

The call was right: Bucky Irving outscored Rhamondre Stevenson by 5.8.

Bucky Irving finished 12.8 points above the 7.5 the props implied.

Bucky Irving, Week 1 against CIN: 35 of 57 snaps, 8 carries for 45 yards, 7 targets and 7 catches for 48 yards, 1 touchdown, 20.3 PPR points.

Bucky Irving finished as the week's RB12 in PPR scoring.

Rhamondre Stevenson, Week 1 against SEA: 60 of 71 snaps, 18 carries for 51 yards, 6 targets and 5 catches for 44 yards, 14.5 PPR points.

Rhamondre Stevenson finished as the week's RB17 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Bucky Irving over Bhayshul Tuten.
• Start Cam Skattebo over Bucky Irving.
• Start Bucky Irving over D'Andre Swift.
• Start Rhamondre Stevenson over Bhayshul Tuten.
• Start Rhamondre Stevenson over Chuba Hubbard.
• Start Rhamondre Stevenson over David Montgomery.