Start Saquon Barkley or Bucky Irving? Week 3

Our Week 3 call

Start Saquon Barkley over Bucky Irving in Week 3.

De-vigged player props project Saquon Barkley at 15.3 points and Bucky Irving at 13.1, a gap of 2.2.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 15.3 fantasy points for Saquon Barkley, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The books have Saquon Barkley at 71.5 rushing yards, 13.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 50% chance to score a touchdown (13, 14, 14 and 11 books).

Player prop markets imply 13.1 fantasy points for Bucky Irving, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The books have Bucky Irving at 56.5 rushing yards, 14.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 42% chance to score a touchdown (13, 9, 9 and 14 books).

That puts Saquon Barkley 2.2 points ahead of Bucky Irving on the books.

Week 3 matchups

Saquon Barkley and PHI visit CHI on Monday at 8:15 PM ET.

CHI allowed 24.2 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 2 games, the 10th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 102 yards and 0.5 touchdowns a game against CHI and caught passes for 50 more yards.

Injury status

Saquon Barkley is listed as questionable with a arm injury.

Bucky Irving is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 3

Through Week 2, Saquon Barkley played 39 percent of PHI snaps, took 35 percent of the carries, drew 7 percent of the targets and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

Saquon Barkley, Week 1 against WAS: 39 of 55 snaps, 15 carries for 83 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for -3 yards.

Saquon Barkley, Week 2 against TEN: 12 of 76 snaps, 4 carries for 9 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for 11 yards.

Through Week 2, Bucky Irving played 70 percent of TB snaps, took 57 percent of the carries, drew 18 percent of the targets and had 25 percent of the red zone chances.

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.

Bucky Irving, Week 2 against CLE: 51 of 65 snaps, 17 carries for 89 yards, 4 targets and 4 catches for 1 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Saquon Barkley played 16 games for PHI and scored 232.3 PPR points, 14.5 a game, finishing RB14.

He ran 280 times for 1140 yards and 7 touchdowns, and caught 37 of 50 targets for 273 yards.

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

Saquon Barkley, Week 17 of 2025 against BUF: 43 of 54 snaps, 19 carries for 68 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards, 6.8 PPR points.

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.

Their other Week 3 calls

• Start Saquon Barkley over Aaron Jones Sr..
• Start Saquon Barkley over Ashton Jeanty.
• Start Saquon Barkley over Breece Hall.
• Start Bucky Irving over Bhayshul Tuten.
• Start Breece Hall over Bucky Irving.
• Start Cam Skattebo over Bucky Irving.