RB: Bucky Irving - TB

2024 Season Summary

Role & Usage

• Drafted in Round 4 (No. 125 overall) by the Buccaneers, Irving began the year as a secondary option behind Rachaad White, but emerged as the lead RB midseason per his usage trends

Rushing Performance

• Carries: 207

• Yards: 1,122 (10th in NFL)

• Average: 5.4 YPC (6th in NFL)

• Touchdowns: 8 (tied-15th)

Receiving Output

• Receptions: 47

• Yards: 392

Yards from Scrimmage

• 1,514 (highest among rookies; 10th in NFL)

Explosiveness & Efficiency

• Led all RBs (min. 60 carries) in Yards After Contact per carry (4.03) and in missed-tackles forced per route

• Recorded 91 missed tackles forced, ranking 4th league-wide; highest percentage of broken tackles (35.8%) among 150+ touches

2025 Fantasy Outlook

Volume Ceiling

• Logged 207 carries and 52 targets in 2024; with no competing back having near his efficiency, volume should remain steady or increase moderately

• The Bucs averaged 149 rushes per game as a team; Irving accounted for ~38% of the offense on scrimmage-heavy weeks

Efficiency Sustainability

• Irving’s YAC and missed‑tackle ability suggest sustainable efficiency—few backs maintain 5.4 YPC via power; his success stems from elusiveness and contact yards, which tend to persist

Scoring Upside

• Averaged a touchdown roughly every 26 touches—8 scores on ~254 total touches

• With potential volume bump, 10+ TD upside if the role remains goal-line or red-zone primary

Receiving Role

• 47 receptions in 2024 indicate potential role in PPR formats

• Expect similar usage barring schematic changes

Offense & Team Context

• Tampa Bay retained momentum: 3rd in rushing yards and 4th in red-zone TD rate

• Offensive line performance was top-10 in both run and pass block win rate

• Baker Mayfield’s efficiency and passing attack (41 TDs, 4,500 yd) keep defenses honest

• The return of receiver Chris Godwin in 2025 and the drafting of WR Emeka Egbuka likely distributes targets but won’t hinder Irving’s volume in the backfield

Headliner Take

Bucky Irving enters the 2025 fantasy football season following a standout rookie campaign in which he totaled 1,122 rushing yards on 207 carries (5.4 YPC), 8 rushing touchdowns, and added 47 receptions for 392 yards. His elite efficiency, including league-best yards after contact per carry among qualified backs — and ability to force missed tackles (91 total, 4th in NFL) solidified his role as the Buccaneers’ lead runner. With Tampa Bay returning much of its offensive core and offensive line, Irving’s combination of volume, explosiveness, and receiving involvement positions him as a reliable high-floor option with RB1 potential, particularly in PPR formats. We expect TB to be one of the best overall offenses in the NFL in 2025 so TD chances should be there weekly. This could be another big year for Bucky.