Bucky Irving vs Michael Carter: Who Should You Start?
Bucky Irving and Michael Carter are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back averaged 12.3 PPG in 2025, a full 6.0 points per game ahead of Michael Carter's 6.3 with the Tennessee Titans. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
The per-game difference of 6.0 points favors Bucky Irving, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Bucky Irving ran for 588 yards and 1 touchdowns; Michael Carter posted 333 and 1. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
Bucky Irving has his bye in Week 11, and Michael Carter rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
