Bucky Irving vs Chuba Hubbard: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) finished the 2025 season averaging 12.3 fantasy points per game in 10 games. Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers) came in at 7.4 PPG over 15 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Bucky Irving carries a 4.9-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Bucky Irving ran for 588 yards and 1 touchdowns; Chuba Hubbard posted 511 and 1. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 11 bye. That means you need a backup plan at running back for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
