Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Bucky Irving: Primed For Breakout Fantasy Season, NFL Pro Bowl?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving had one of the best seasons for a rookie in franchise history and was among the best backs in the league during his first-year campaign. The former Oregon Ducks standout was only a fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft and wasn’t expected to have such a seamless transition to the next level. Now, as an established presence, the expectations have shifted.

Going into his second season, Irving is one of the most sought-after running backs in the ever-growing fantasy football world. Pro Football Focus has Irving listed as one of the players primed for a breakout season nationally and as one of the most valuable players for the fantasy football drafts and legacy leagues that have become so present in the football community.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving. Fantasy Football. Oregon Ducks Pro Bowler. — Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs during the third quarter of a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

“Irving averaged 0.29 avoided tackles per attempt and 0.096 avoided tackles per route run, which were both the best among running backs last season. He also led the league in yards after contact per attempt (4.03) and the percentage of his carries that gained at least 30 yards (3.4%). He was incredible when the situations were less than ideal but struggled on zone runs,” said PFF analyst Nathan Jahnke.

MORE: Shedeur Sanders 'Way Better' Than Cleveland Browns' Dillon Gabriel Says NFL Receiver

MORE: Power Rankings Shift For Ohio State, Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns Ahead Of Season

MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning: Best Coach In College Football?

“Irving was a fourth-round pick by the Buccaneers and won the backup job behind Rachaad White before Week 1. He ran 25 times for 154 yards over the first three weeks while playing 31-36% of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps, leading to a bump in snaps. He played between 41-54% of the snaps from Weeks 4-15, and there were three exceptions where his snaps dipped below that and one week where White was injured, so Irving took a larger role,” Jahnke said.

Irving’s role isn’t limited to being just a standard ball carrier. Irving was an integral part of the passing game as well, totaling 47 receptions and nearly 400 receiving yards on top of his 1,122 rushing yards and 5.4 yards per carry average. Irving’s incredible all-purpose season led to a selection on the PFWA All-Rookie team, and most believe he was a Pro Bowl snub.

Is an even bigger role ahead for Bucky Irving in 2025? 🚀 pic.twitter.com/VkIaHEuV57
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) July 8, 2025

“Irving is expected to be the starter after taking a much larger role in the offense in the last two games of the season. Irving's snap rate in those games was better than usual for players like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Joe Mixon, De'Von Achane and James Cook. The Buccaneers retained Rachaad White and Sean Tucker to be the backup and third-string running backs. In those last two games, Irving played nearly every snap on early downs, at the goal line and in short-yardage situations,” Jahnke closed.

The expectations for Irving have risen exponentially and with good reason. Irving has carried over the success he had at Oregon to the NFL and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

During his time with the Ducks, Irving quickly became a fan-favorite because of his ability to bounce off tackles and keep his balance. The former Oregon star has continued to do so in the NFL. Can he keep it up in year two?