Who Should I Start? Jerome Ford or Bucky Irving

Thursday, March 12, 6:51 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) has been an electric player when healthy through his first two NFL seasons, collecting nearly 2,400 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns across 27 games played. However, Irving recently underwent offseason shoulder surgery after missing seven games in 2025 due to shoulder and ankle ailments. While Irving is expected to be ready to go for the start of 2026, the 23-year-old is an undersized back, and Tampa Bay may have questions about his ability to hold up while shouldering a true RB1 workload. The Buccaneers made a big splash at the running back position early in free agency, signing veteran back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year deal with an eight-figure guarantee. Gainwell is coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and could emerge as Tampa Bay's primary receiving and short-yardage back. The Buccaneers also have a solid third-string option in Sean Tucker, who racked up eight touchdowns in 2025. Irving's fantasy value in dynasty formats looks a bit less clear after the addition of Gainwell to the Tampa Bay backfield.