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The tedious wait for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is finally over. This means stressing over fantasy football lineup decisions is back on the menu.
Before Week 1 kicks off, D’Andre Swift and Bucky Irving are two RBs in above-average offenses who are expected to be ranked similarly to begin the season. Which one should you prioritize this week?
Below, we’ll discuss whether you should start Swift or Irving in fantasy football (factoring in PPR scoring settings) and highlight their Week 1 PrizePicks projections.
All stats used in this article are from PFF and SumerSports unless stated otherwise. Fantasy rankings and fantasy point totals are courtesy of FantasyPros.
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Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em RBs, Week 1: D’Andre Swift or Bucky Irving?
Let’s dive into our Week 1 fantasy football start ‘em, sit ‘em decision between Swift and Irving.
Why Start D’Andre Swift?
D’Andre Swift Week 1 PrizePicks Projections: 68.5 Rush Yards, 1.5 Recs, 11.5 Rec Yards, 15.5 Rush Attempts, 14 Fantasy Score
- Swift was the RB17 in fantasy points per game in 2025 (14.3), scoring at least 15.0 fantasy points in seven of his 16 starts.
- Among RBs with 100+ carries last season, Swift had the ninth-most yards per attempt (4.9) and seventh-most runs of 10 or more yards (30).
- The Chicago Bears were sixth in rush EPA/play (0.01) and third in rushing success rate (46.2%) on offense.
- Swift faces the Carolina Panthers in Week 1; they ranked 27th in EPA/rush allowed (-0.03) a season ago, per rbsdm.com.
- In the red zone, Swift turned 40 carries into 8 TDs, while Kyle Monangai (Swift’s backup) had 36 carries and 5 TDs inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
- Despite Monangai recently returning to practice, he dealt with a knee injury that sidelined him for a decent portion of training camp and preseason.
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Why Start Bucky Irving?
Bucky Irving Week 1 PrizePicks Projections: 57.5 Rush Yards, 2 Recs, 13.5 Rec Yards, 14 Rush Attempts, 12 Fantasy Score
- Irving finished right behind Swift as the RB18 in fantasy PPG (13.8).
- Although Irving concluded last year by scoring fewer than 10 fantasy points in three of his final four starts, he finished 2024 strong with 16+ fantasy points in six of his last eight starts.
- Shoulder and foot injuries hindered Irving down the stretch in 2025, so his disappointing metrics in the latter part of the season may be justified.
- Before his injury-riddled campaign a season ago, Irving had the fourth-most yards per attempt (5.4), most yards after contact per attempt (4.0), and ninth-most missed tackles forced (53) among RBs with 100+ carries in 2024.
- Irving was tied with Rachaad White for the second-most red-zone carries (18) on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025.
- White is no longer on the Buccaneers, and Sean Tucker (who led the team in red-zone carries in 2025 with 21) is dealing with an injury ahead of Week 1.
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Week 1 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Verdict: Start D’Andre Swift
Between Swift and Irving, the Bears’ starting back gets the slight nod ahead of a meeting with the Panthers. Swift should handle the bulk of the red-zone snaps for Chicago, and Monangai caught just 18 passes as a rookie in 2025.
While Irving may be poised to bounce back, Kenneth Gainwell is certainly a threat for passing-down work, which somewhat caps Irving’s upside. Additionally, the Cincinnati Bengals (Tampa Bay’s opponent in Week 1) acquired All-Pro DT Dexter Lawrence in the offseason, so that should drastically improve their run defense.
Lastly, the Bears are currently 3.5-point road favorites, while the Buccaneers are 3.5-point underdogs on PrizePicks in their Week 1 matchups.
Although Swift and Irving are both viable fantasy football starters, Swift would be the better option here.
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Both D’Andre Swift and Bucky Irving are intriguing RB options in fantasy football ahead of Week 1. When deciding between the two, Swift could be positioned for a better performance in a Chicago offense that seems poised to take another step forward under head coach Ben Johnson.
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