Start Bucky Irving or Tony Pollard? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Bucky Irving over Tony Pollard in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Bucky Irving at 11.5 points and Tony Pollard at 9.4, a gap of 2.1.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.5 fantasy points for Bucky Irving, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market has Bucky Irving at 51.5 rushing yards, 12.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 34% chance to score a touchdown (13, 15, 16 and 17 market sources).

Player markets imply 9.4 fantasy points for Tony Pollard, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market has Tony Pollard at 49.5 rushing yards, 8.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 28% chance to score a touchdown (12, 8, 8 and 12 market sources).

That puts Bucky Irving 2.1 points ahead of Tony Pollard on the market projections.

Injury status

Bucky Irving is not on the injury report.

Tony Pollard is listed as questionable with a foot injury.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Bucky Irving played 62 percent of TB snaps, took 58 percent of the carries, drew 12 percent of the targets and had 29 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.

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.

Through Week 4, Tony Pollard played 53 percent of TEN snaps, took 60 percent of the carries, drew 10 percent of the targets and had 43 percent of the red zone chances.

Tony Pollard, Week 1 against NYJ: 26 of 50 snaps, 7 carries for 35 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for -1 yards.

Tony Pollard, Week 2 against PHI: 29 of 53 snaps, 14 carries for 64 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 1 yards.

Tony Pollard, Week 3 against NYG: 32 of 60 snaps, 17 carries for 74 yards, 4 targets and 4 catches for 22 yards.

Tony Pollard, Week 4 against BAL: 34 of 64 snaps, 16 carries for 48 yards, 4 targets and 2 catches for 2 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, Tony Pollard played 17 games for TEN and scored 185.8 PPR points, 10.9 a game, finishing RB23.

He ran 242 times for 1082 yards and 5 touchdowns, and caught 33 of 41 targets for 206 yards.

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

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Bhayshul Tuten over Bucky Irving.
• Start Bucky Irving over Blake Corum.
• Start Braelon Allen over Bucky Irving.
• Start Bhayshul Tuten over Tony Pollard.
• Start Tony Pollard over Blake Corum.
• Start Tony Pollard over Brian Robinson.