BuckyIrving

News: 2 days agoIrving is set to lead a Buccaneers backfield that also includes Kenny Gainwell and Sean Tucker (undisclosed), the latter of whom didn't practice Wednesday, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports.

Spin: Irving figures to get most of the rushing opportunities in Tampa Bay's backfield, though Gainwell is likely to play in passing situations after leading the Steelers with 73 catches in the 2025 regular season and subsequently signing a two-year, $14 million contract with the Buccaneers in March. Tucker was used frequently in the red zone last season, leading the Buccaneers with seven rushing touchdowns. Irving saw his rushing touchdown total dip to one in 10 games during his injury-plagued 2025 campaign after scoring eight regular-season rushing touchdowns as a rookie. Despite the competition for touches, Irving maintains the highest ceiling in Tampa Bay's backfield given his success in 2024.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Irving enters his third season coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign in which he missed seven games and struggled with efficiency. After averaging 5.42 yards per carry and producing 1,514 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, Irving fell to 3.40 YPC (fourth worst among qualified RBs), 865 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. He failed to clear 4.2 YPC in any of his 10 outings and had zero carries inside the opponent's 5 yard line. The 24-year-old remains positioned as the lead back in Tampa Bay, but the combination of his small frame (5-foot-9, 192 pounds) and the arrival of Kenneth Gainwell (not to mention Sean Tucker at the goal line) suggest he might play a lesser role moving forward. Irving should be valued as a back-end RB2.