BuckyIrving

News: 2 days agoIrving rushed 21 times for 165 yards and a touchdown and brought in two of three targets for 10 yards and another score in the Buccaneers' 24-16 win over the Cowboys on Thursday.

Spin: The early portion of Irving's night offered no hint the third-year back would finish with a new career high in rushing yards, as he repeatedly scuffled for running room throughout most of the first half. However, he did put the Buccaneers' first points on the board with a five-yard touchdown catch on the second play of the second quarter, and he subsequently ripped off a nifty 72-yard scamper that saw him change direction several times within the first 10 yards on the first play of the second half. Irving would go on to cap off the next possession with a one-yard touchdown run, and he sealed Tampa Bay's victory with a 22-yard rush on the final drive of the night that set up a pair of Jalon Daniels' kneel downs. Irving's carry total was also a season-high figure, and he's now averaging 5.3 yards per carry heading into a Week 6 home matchup against the Steelers on Sunday, Oct. 18.

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.