Bucky Irving or Colston Loveland: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Too close to call — the edges cancel out.
Bucky Irving and Colston Loveland grade out even this week. Irving's best edge is the projection (16.6 to 8.7), Loveland's best edge is the consensus rank (TE3 to RB22) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.
Bucky Irving
14.115.416.6 Projected Points
Colston Loveland
5.47.18.7 Projected Points
Bucky Irving’s market
Colston Loveland’s market
Why Bucky Irving
Start· mediumRB1 and feature back. Elusive one-cut runner with excellent contact balance and pass-game usage.
16.6-pt projection (RB22) with 64% snaps and 16% target share keeps him a PPR RB2, but Questionable glute tag demands a pregame check.
- Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
- GB ranks 24 of 32 against RBs (one of the softer matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 23.0 team points as 1.5-point underdogs.
- Listed RB on the latest depth chart with a 64% snap share.
The call
- Role is solid for PPR: 64% snap share and a 16% target share over 3 games give him a receiving floor even on a pitch count, which OC Zac Robinson has publicly acknowledged (SI, 2026-09-24).
- Matchup vs GB grades as moderately favorable at 24 of 32 in DvP, though the 3-game sample carries only 0.25 confidence. A 23.0 implied team total and a 1.5 spread point to a neutral game script that shouldn't take him off the field.
- The main risk is availability. He is listed Questionable after consecutive limited practices with a glute injury (CBS Sports, 2026-10-01), so confirm he's active before kickoff and have a fallback ready in a late game.
- If active, his RB22 consensus rank and 16.6-point projection clear a typical replacement option. That supports confirming the house start-lean.
Latest on Irving
Bucky Irving remained limited at Thursday practice with a glute injury and had consecutive limited sessions through Week 4 prep.
CBS Sports · Oct 1, 2026Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said that RB Bucky Irving is on a bit of a pitch count due to the longevity of the season.
Sports Illustrated · Sep 24, 2026Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Colston Loveland
SitTE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Seam-stretching move tight end with flex alignment and rising target volume.
Sit — TE3 consensus, projects TE17 this week: NYJ is the 4th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 10% target share.
- NYJ ranks 4 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 27.0 team points as 8.5-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 84% snap share.
Latest on Loveland
The tight end has one catch and faces a tough Eagles defense on MNF. With no Caleb Williams, can he get going?
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Bucky Irving | Colston Loveland |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 14.115.416.6 | 5.47.18.7 |
| Consensus rank | RB22 | TE3 |
| Opponent vs position | GB · 24 of 323-game sample | NYJ · 4 of 323-game sample |
| Rushing Yards | 30 of 32 | — |
| Rushing TDs | 32 of 32 | — |
| Rushing Attempts | 32 of 32 | — |
| Receptions | 3 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 14 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 31 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | — | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | — | 3 of 32 |
| Target share | 16% | 10% |
| Reception share | 21% | 8% |
| Implied total · spread | 23.0+1.5 | 27.0-8.5 |
| Depth chart | RB1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 64% | 84% |
| Injury designation | Questionable | — |
| Start/Sit record | 1–1+1 toss-up | — |
Recent form
Bucky Irving — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs MIN | 5.86.87.8 |
| Week 2 | vs CLE | 9.011.013.0 |
| Week 1 | vs CIN | 13.316.820.3 |
Colston Loveland — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs PHI | 3.15.17.1 |
| Week 2 | vs MIN | 0.30.81.3 |
| Week 1 | vs CAR | 0.00.00.0 |
Signal breakdown
- 16.6 vs 8.7 projected PPR pointsBucky Irving +
- Rank 22 vs 3Colston Loveland +
- Opponent DvP rank 24 vs 4 (32 = softest)Bucky Irving +
- Implied 23.0 vs 27.0 team pointsColston Loveland +
- Questionable vs no designationColston Loveland +
- 64% vs 84% snap shareColston Loveland +
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