BuckyIrving

News: 14 hours agoIrving has impressed new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson throughout training camp, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Spin: Irving is coming off of an injury-riddled sophomore campaign with the Buccaneers in 2025, ultimately being limited to just 10 regular-season contests. The running back compiled 588 rushing yards and one touchdown over 173 carries, which was rather disappointing after he registered 1,122 yards and eight scores on 207 rushes in 2024. Irving was also able to secure 30 catches for 277 yards, including the first three receiving scores of his career, during the 2025 season. Ahead of the upcoming season, new OC Zac Robinson has been impressed by the soon-to-be 24-year-old's ability to stay connected to the ground, allowing the running back to leave defenders in his dust. "He's always able to change direction and that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles," said Robinson. The coordinator spent the last two seasons calling plays for Atlanta's superstar running back Bijan Robinson, and Irving will look to elevate his performance within Robinson's system.

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. 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 suggest he might play a lesser role moving forward. Irving should be valued as a back-end RB2.