For months, well, years, I’ve been preaching about a 5’9 running back with all the qualities to be truly special. It was never biased—my alma mater produced plenty of NFL-caliber players—every time I watched him, it was abundantly clear he was different.
We met only once at a university dentist’s office. I had a severe toothache, the type that makes you quiver when trying to sleep. He was—just there, slumped over in his chair, dozing off, dreaming about who knows what. When the receptionist came over to wake him up for his appointment, he stood up, and I was in awe of his stature.
We think of football players as modern gladiators with muscles growing out of muscles. Yet, Bucky Irving appeared shorter than his listed height, built but not particularly imposing. Maybe his stature is why he fell to the fourth round this past April, but if you’ve ever seen him in the backfield, you know he’s about to take the league by storm.
The case for Bucky Irving
The Buccaneers have been inept at running the football. It’s almost inconceivable for a playoff team with a solid signal caller and a pair of elite targets on the outside to muster the 32nd-ranked rushing attack, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry in 2023. This year has been much of the same when Rachaad White has the rock—the third-year pro having the worst efficiency numbers amongst starting RBs.
Many would be quick to blame the offensive line, but the rookie Irving has already destroyed that notion. On six fewer carries, the 22-year-old has 88 more yards and scampered in for his first career touchdown Sunday against Philadelphia.
Despite what his size might indicate, he’s a physical runner who requires multiple bodies to bring him down. He pairs his power with excellent lateral agility, escaping tough predicaments with knee-buckling jukes. He has the vision to spot holes before they form and always seems to make the right decision. Irving is even a threat as a pass catcher and is a viable threat underneath or in the screen game.
Pass protection has held him back from consistent playing time early in the young campaign, but those concerns have lessened in recent weeks. The talent is undeniable, and Tampa is far more dangerous with him on the field. In his last contest, Irving tallied 41% of snaps, with nearly the same amount of touches as White but with better production.
Offensive coordinator Liam Cohen will have to give Irving the bulk of the workload sooner rather than later, which propels the former Oregon Duck into RB1 conversations. Volume will always be a question, but it’s a number bound to increase, and his physicality gives him the edge in red zone opportunities.
If the Chicago native is stashed away on someone’s bench, get him immediately. A future bell cow in a high-powered offense is too tantalizing to miss out on. In DFS formats, he’s still matchup-dependent, but his assigned salary will likely make him a premier value play. Irving is a budding superstar—there’s still time to buy in before that statement becomes common knowledge.
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