RADIO
Bucky Irving 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook: Recovering from Offseason Shoulder Surgery and Workload Risk Clouds Draft Price
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) enters 2026 with rebound appeal, but his draft cost is aggressive after an injury-hit sophomore season. The 23-year-old played 10 games and started nine in 2025, rushing 173 times for 588 yards and one touchdown while adding 30 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores. That was a major step back from his rookie year, when he rushed for 1,122 yards, averaged 5.4 yards per carry, and finished as a strong fantasy starter. Irving missed seven games last season and is working back from offseason shoulder surgery, which adds another layer of risk entering the summer. Irving participated in OTAs and might not be a full go for training camp, but is expected to be ready for Week 1. Tampa Bay also changed the backfield around him. Rachaad White is with the Commanders now, but Kenneth Gainwell signed with the Buccaneers and should threaten passing-down work, while Sean Tucker remains a factor near the goal line. Irving still has talent and a path to useful volume under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, but the workload is no longer clean. He is currently going 45th overall as the RB17 on Sleeper, ahead of his RB26 ranking at RotoBaller, making him a risky bet at cost despite his bounce-back appeal.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
