Bucky Irving
Running Back #7
Bucky Irving News
Bucky Irving's Workload May Decrease to Preserve his Health
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is on pace for a career-high 315 carries in 2026. Head coach Todd Bowles said he does not know if Irving can sustain that heavy a workload, so the team might work to lessen his workload in the second half of the season to preserve his health and make sure he is healthy to the end, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. In the 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, the 24-year-old had 20 rushing attempts for 97 yards and two touchdowns while adding four catches on five targets for 28 yards in the passing game. It was the third straight game, and the fourth time in the last five contests, that Irving had 20-plus rushing attempts. With the added volume, Irving has been one of the most productive RBs in the NFL in 2026, averaging 4.9 yards per carry for 825 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 167 carries in nine games played. He needs just two rushing scores to set a new career high. Irving has five rushing TDs in the last three games. A drop in touches in the second half will obviously lower Irving's fantasy ceiling and allow backfield mate Kenny Gainwell to see the ball more.
Nov 9, 2026 7:58 AM EST
Bucky Irving Continues to Produce as a Strong RB1 Despite Buccaneers' Loss
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving totaled 20 carries, 97 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 28 receiving yards. Irving ranks fourth among all NFL players in rushing yards per game this season, and the three running backs that he trails are Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Kenneth Walker III. That's a pretty good group to be associated with, and in addition to his rushing production, Irving has carved out a sizable pass-catching role to boost his value in PPR leagues. He has also been able to share some touches with Kenneth Gainwell without letting it impact his own fantasy outlook too much, as there are plenty of touches to go around in this Tampa Bay run game. Irving now has 20+ points (PPR) in three consecutive weeks, and he should continue to be deployed as a low-end RB1 heading into the Bucs' Week 10 bye.
Nov 8, 2026 6:41 PM EST
Bucky Irving Holds Borderline RB1 Value
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has been putting up elite fantasy numbers over the last few weeks. The Bucs have been leaning heavily on the running game lately, and Irving is taking advantage of it. Last week, Irving carried the ball 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Atlanta Falcons. Both the carries and the yardage were season highs for Irving, who now has three games with over 100 yards this season. Irving will now run into a tough Chicago Bears defense in Week 9. A defensive unit that ranks 4th in the league in rush defense this season. Given Irving's success lately, the Bucs are likely going to continue pounding the ball even in a tough matchup. Irving sits as Rotoballer's RB8 this week and should be considered a borderline RB1 for this weekend.
Nov 6, 2026 11:54 AM EST
Bucky Irving Goes Off As Bucs Break Team Rushing Record
One of the most bizarre games in modern NFL history led to a huge day for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, who broke loose for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries in a 16-0 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. With the majority of the game played in driving rain and the Bucs' running game churning out first down after first down, Tampa Bay threw the ball only three times and finished with zero completions, the first time since 1974 that an NFL team failed to complete at least one pass. In addition to Irving's big day, Kenny Gainwell also easily cleared the century mark, going for 140 on 25 carries as Tampa compiled a franchise-record 324 rushing yards. Irving has 487 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his past four games, a hot streak that will keep him firmly on the fantasy radar when Tampa travels to Chicago next week.
Nov 1, 2026 12:53 PM EST
Bucky Irving Stays in RB2 Range
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was a man who couldn't be stopped on the ground during last week's win over the Carolina Panthers. Irving carried the ball 24 times for 106 yards with two touchdowns in the blowout victory. The 24-year-old has been a stud recently with over 100 rushing yards in two of his last three games. Fantasy managers might want to lower their expectations with Irving heading into a tougher matchup in Week 8. He'll be running against the Atlanta Falcons defense that currently ranks 4th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game at 88.9. Irving sits as Rotoballer's RB13 and should be considered a high-end RB2 for this upcoming NFC South matchup.
Oct 30, 2026 11:12 AM EST
Bucky Irving's Absence Chalked up to Rest
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (rest) was not spotted at Thursday's practice, but beat writer Greg Auman has since reported that his absence was a simple rest day for the third-year veteran. Irving is coming off a dominant 110-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Panthers and is the fantasy RB13 through seven weeks, so any missed time is a rightful cause for concern after injuries limited him to only 10 games in 2025 while sapping him of the explosiveness put on display both before and since. That said, he appears to be well on track to suit up for a Week 8 matchup with the Falcons and is RotoBaller's RB13 ahead of the divisional clash.
Oct 29, 2026 9:49 AM EST
Bucky Irving Not at Thursday's Practice
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (undisclosed) was not seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, according to Pewter Report. Meanwhile, fellow RB Kenny Gainwell (hip) was back on the field after not participating in practice on Wednesday. It is unclear what is keeping Irving off the field for the team's second practice of the week, but if he cannot play this weekend against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, both Gainwell (if he is active) and Sean Tucker would have expanded backfield roles for the Bucs on Sunday. Irving had his second 100-yard rushing game in the last three weeks and scored two times on a season-high 24 carries in the Week 7 blowout win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers, and he has been the clear leader of Tampa's backfield through the first seven weeks of the season. Check back for an update on the 24-year-old RB as to why he was not on the field for practice on Thursday. If he is active this weekend, he will be a must-start fantasy RB against the Falcons.
Oct 29, 2026 8:25 AM EST
Bucky Irving Scores Twice in 100-Yard Rushing Performance
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving offers RB2 value heading into Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons after delivering his second 100-yard rushing performance in three games during Sunday's 43-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers, finishing with 106 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Irving scored from four yards out on Tampa Bay's opening possession after accounting for 47 rushing yards on the drive, then added a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He also caught one of two targets for four yards, finishing with 110 scrimmage yards. It was a welcome turnaround after Irving managed just 46 rushing yards on 19 attempts against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. Kenny Gainwell remained involved, rushing 14 times for 88 yards, although Irving handled both of Tampa Bay's short-yardage touchdown opportunities, and his 24 carries and goal-line usage outweigh any concern about Gainwell's involvement.
Oct 25, 2026 12:16 PM EST
Bucky Irving Gives High-End RB2 Value for Week 7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (illness) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Irving was limited in practice on Thursday, but he will be out there for this must-win divisional contest. Irving is hopeful for better results after struggling to do much of anything during last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He carried the ball 19 times for 46 yards while hauling in two receptions for three yards. The Bucs are without top wideout Emeka Egbuka (foot, concussion), which means they could lean on the run game more than normal. The Panthers' run defense is beatable, so Irving should have a better day on the ground. Fantasy managers should consider Irving a high-end RB2 for this game.
Oct 23, 2026 11:20 AM EST
Bucky Irving Off the Week 7 Injury Report
After missing Wednesday's practice with an illness and logging a limited participation on Thursday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (illness) returned to a full practice on Friday and carries no injury designation into the team's Week 7 divisional matchup with the Panthers. Quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is also expected to play after missing the past two games with an injury to his throwing hand. With Mayfield potentially limited, and the team without top receiver Emeka Egbuka (concussion, foot), who has already been ruled out, Irving could see more work in the passing game than he has with the more mobile rookie Jalon Daniels under center. Against a Panthers defense that has been beatable on the ground, Irving has multiple paths to a standout performance and is RotoBaller's RB12 for Week 7.
Oct 23, 2026 9:25 AM EST
Bucky Irving Back at Practice After Wednesday's Absence
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (illness) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. His return is an encouraging development ahead of Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, especially after an illness hit several Tampa Bay players earlier in the week. Irving has handled 96 carries for 452 yards and two touchdowns through six games and holds a substantial advantage in the backfield workload. He got 19 carries and three targets in Sunday's overtime loss to Pittsburgh, while Kenneth Gainwell managed just two rushing attempts and one target. Sean Tucker (quadriceps), who missed that contest, was a full participant Wednesday and could rejoin the rotation against Carolina. Irving's precise Thursday participation level hasn't been confirmed yet.
Oct 22, 2026 8:31 AM EST
Bucky Irving Sidelined by Illness Wednesday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (illness) did not participate in Wednesday's practice as the team prepares to face Carolina in Week 7. The third-year back has handled 40 carries over his past two appearances, although his production varied dramatically between games. After rushing for a career-high 165 yards and a touchdown against Dallas in Week 5, Irving managed just 46 yards on 19 attempts in Sunday's overtime loss to Pittsburgh. His latest absence is attributed to an illness and not the glute injury that limited him in practice earlier this month. Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker would be candidates for more work if Irving can't play, but the illness hasn't yet led to a game-status designation. Irving's substantial workload remains intact when he's healthy.
Oct 21, 2026 12:19 PM EST
Bucky Irving Highly Inefficient in Week 6 Loss
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving rushed for 46 yards on 19 carries during Sunday's Week 6 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also caught two of his three targets for three receiving yards. Irving saw large volume once again, but he was highly inefficient with just 2.4 rushing yards per carry. The 24-year-old now has fewer than 8.0 fantasy points in three of his last four games, giving him a low floor going forward. The biggest factor for Irving has been quarterback play; while Jalon Daniels has looked fine, it's easy for defenses to predict when the Bucs are going to run, which makes it difficult for Irving to break off big plays. Baker Mayfield (thumb) has a chance to return in Week 7, which would help Irving get back into the high-end RB2 tier against the Carolina Panthers. If Daniels remains the starter, however, Irving would fall to the fringe top-24 range.
Oct 18, 2026 4:09 PM EST
Bucky Irving Has RB1 Upside for Week 6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is coming off his best performance of the season. Irving rushed for a season-high 165 yards on 21 attempts with a touchdown during last week's win over the Dallas Cowboys. He also hauled in two of his three targets for 10 yards and another score. The Bucs have been leaning on Irving lately with quarterback Jalon Daniels under center during the last two games. The expectation is that Irving will continue seeing a heavy workload during the upcoming Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A defensive unit that has allowed the 13th-fewest rushing yards in the league. Irving should be considered a borderline RB1 for this upcoming home matchup against the Steelers.
Oct 16, 2026 11:10 AM EST
Bucky Irving in Complete Control of Lead-Back Role
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has full control over the No. 1 role in the backfield through the first five weeks of the season, and we don't expect that to change anytime soon. Irving is coming off his best game of the year, in which he totaled 175 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns. Even with Kenny Gainwell, Sean Tucker, and Jalon Daniel all pushing to earn rushing attempts, Irving has shown no signs of relinquishing his lead-back role. After all, he had 23 touches last week. After missing seven games last year and finishing as the RB34 in PPR leagues, it certainly appears as though Irving is in the midst of a significant bounce-back campaign. We'll look for him to keep up that momentum heading into Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the 13th-fewest rushing yards per game in 2026.
Oct 15, 2026 6:37 AM EST
Bucky Irving's Fantasy Stock Skyrocketing After Monster Outing In Win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving channeled his inner rookie season in his team's stunning Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. The third-year pro rushed 21 times for 165 yards and one touchdown and caught two of three targets for 10 yards and another score. He gashed the hapless Cowboys defense multiple times, including on a special rush in which he juked multiple defenders to break through the defensive line and ran down the sideline for a huge explosive play. Irving dominated backfield touches for his team, with no other Bucs RB handling more than five carries, which is excellent news for his fantasy value moving forward. He appears to have put any injury concerns behind him and slammed the door shut on any ideas of a committee backfield moving forward. Dallas' defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and that certainly contributed to Irving's big night, but he made a strong case to be a workhorse RB1 moving forward. A Week 6 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers looms -- they have a middling run defense, which should allow Irving to have another solid outing. He's pushed back into low-end RB1 territory for now.
Oct 8, 2026 8:01 PM EST
Bucky Irving Offers RB2 Upside
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has failed to give fantasy managers much value over the last two weeks. Irving has been less effective on the ground lately, but that'll hopefully change in Week 5. The 24-year-old draws a juicy matchup against the Dallas Cowboys defense on Thursday. A defensive unit that has allowed four rushing touchdowns and nearly 100 rushing yards per game through its first four contests. The absence of Baker Mayfield (thumb) could mean that the Bucs try to pound the ball on the ground with Jalon Daniels under center. Irving has seen 15 or more carries in three of the first four games this season. He'll offer RB2 upside for the Thursday Night matchup in Dallas.
Oct 7, 2026 4:06 PM EST
Bucky Irving a Solid RB2 Option in Week 4
After being limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (glute) logged a full practice on Friday and will play in his team's Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Irving has gotten off to a solid start to the 2026 season, recording 241 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 53 touches across three games. The Bucs offense has question marks heading into Week 4, as rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will take over under center for injured signal-caller Baker Mayfield (thumb). However, the Green Bay defense has had major issues against the run so far this season, ranking 28th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (416) through three weeks. With the unproven Daniels at quarterback, Tampa Bay could look to lean on Irving as both a runner and a short-area receiver. Now that he's officially active, Irving profiles as a low-end RB2 option for fantasy managers in Week 4.
Oct 3, 2026 5:41 AM EST
Bucky Irving Off Injury Report for Week 4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (glute) is off the final injury report and has no game designation for Sunday's matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Irving was limited Wednesday and Thursday after the injury became an issue coming out of last week's game against Minnesota, but he was back on the field Friday and appeared to be moving without trouble during the portion open to reporters. He has 40 carries for 180 yards and one touchdown through three games, along with 13 catches for 61 yards. RotoBaller has Irving at RB19 for Week 4. The glute injury was worth monitoring after two limited practices to begin the week, but the absence of a final designation means fantasy managers can plan on having Irving available Sunday.
Oct 2, 2026 12:16 PM EST
Bucky Irving moving well at Friday practice
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (glute) was on the field Friday and appeared to be moving well during the portion of practice open to reporters. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times noted that Irving was working without any obvious issues, an encouraging sign after he was limited Wednesday and Thursday. The injury is worth watching because Irving missed Tampa Bay's final two possessions in last week's loss to Minnesota, although he still finished that game with 15 carries for 46 yards and two catches for 12 yards. Friday's official practice designation will matter more than the early observation, but the trend is moving in the right direction ahead of Sunday's matchup with Green Bay. Irving has 180 rushing yards and 13 receptions through three games and sits at RB19 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings. If he avoids a setback and is cleared, he should remain in fantasy lineups.
Oct 2, 2026 7:42 AM EST
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