Our Week 13 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em decision pits Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving against Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker — two RBs who have taken very different routes through the season but now sit firmly in the “fantasy headache” zone.
Irving enters the week with 71 carries for 237 yards and no rushing TDs, a product of shoulder and foot injuries that have sidelined the second-year man since Week 5. Irving was right on his way to producing similar numbers to his breakout rookie campaign before this. He then dealt with some mental struggles during his recovery, holding him out longer than anticipated.
Walker, meanwhile, continues to battle the same issue that has followed him since late 2024: volume volatility. Seattle has eased back on his workload at times, mixing in their younger RBs and reducing his snap share. His efficiency has also dipped during stretches, resulting in several games under 4.0 yards per carry and fewer explosive gains than many are accustomed to.
Week 13 could give direction for both players as the fantasy football playoffs approach, with Walker facing a tough Minnesota run defense but a potentially advantageous game script. Irving, meanwhile, draws an Arizona defense that has given up 100+ yards to RBs in four of its last six games.
Let’s dive into the Bucky Irving vs. Kenneth Walker Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em discussion, which includes usage trends, matchup data, and updated PrizePicks projections, to help you decide which back deserves a spot in your Week 13 lineup.
Week 13 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Bucky Irving or Kenneth Walker?
We’ll take a look at the case to start both of these RBs by using statistics and matchup analysis for Week 13. Feel free to head over to PrizePicks and pick More or Less on their stat projections to give yourself an opportunity to win some real money.
Why Start Bucky Irving?
Fantasy managers have been waiting for two months to put Irving back into their lineups. The Buccaneers' offense has needed his talents, but potentially right now more than ever.
Week 12 cost the Bucs their starting QB, Baker Mayfield, who suffered a shoulder injury midway through the game and did not play in the second half. Irving would add the explosive element back to this Buccaneers run game and take a lot of pressure off Mayfield or backup QB Teddy Bridgewater if he has to play.
The Cardinals’ defense started the 2025 season hot. They didn’t allow a team to have more than 80 rush yards until Week 4, but have struggled since, allowing teams to average 4.97 yards per carry in the last six weeks.
Irving will provide a much-needed spark in the short passing game as well. He had 19 catches on 19 targets for 193 yards and 2 TDs in the four games he was active for, showcasing a nice profile in the receiving game.
Bucky Irving Stat Projections vs. Cardinals for Week 13
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- 40.5 Rush Yards
- 12.5 Receiving Yards
- 12.5 Yards on Longest Rush
- 9.5 Yards on Longest Reception
Why Start Kenneth Walker?
After yet another mid-season panic on Walker, this writer has settled down. We’ve been playing this game with Walker for a couple of seasons now, but his talent is immense and he just keeps forcing his way to the front again.
Walker remains in a split with third-year back Zach Charbonnet that ranges from 50-50 to 60-40 in Walker’s favor. That's despite slowly seeing signs that Walker is the better back, as has been the case for some time. For instance, Charbonnet’s touches have decreased from 14-17 per game in Weeks 1-7 to a more varied range of 6-13 in the outings since.
This is an interesting matchup for the NFC heavyweight Seahawks, and Walker in particular. The Vikings have gone from a Super Bowl dark horse to a team in distress, potentially without starting QB J.J. McCarthy this weekend. This could force them to start undrafted rookie QB Max Brosmer, who has no game experience.
If the Seahawks jump out to an early lead, as they have multiple times this season, Walker could be pushed into a workhorse role against a Vikings run defense that is allowing heavy volume on the ground — more than 30 carries a game in the last five weeks, per CBS Sports.
Kenneth Walker Stat Projections vs. Vikings for Week 13
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- 16 Rush Attempts
- 65.5 Rush Yards
- 15.5 Yards on Longest Rush
- 3.5 Receptions (Demon)
- 9.5 Receiving Yards
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Verdict: Start Kenneth Walker
Buccaneers OC Josh Grizzard made a bold statement earlier this week, noting that Irving would likely see a “similar workload to Chris Godwin in his return game.” Godwin played 35% of the snaps in his first game back, and it makes sense given that both RB Rachaad White and RB Sean Tucker have helmed the backfield in Irving’s absence. That makes a temporary three-way split possible.
Walker’s matchup against the Vikings is a major tick in his favor. The Vikings have become the second-heaviest run-funnel defense, according to Draft Sharks' Pass Rate over Expected data. Teams would rather run against them and commonly have found themselves in run-friendly situations against DC Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme.
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