Will the Buccaneers Lighten Bucky Irving's Workload? 0mLink copied!

Aug 17, 2026, 10:10 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving exploded as the overall RB13 during his rookie season in 2024, but as a result of injuries and workload management, he played in just 10 games last year and fell to RB34 in PPR leagues. Rachaad White and Sean Tucker consistently ate into Irving's workload last year, and while White has since departed for Washington, Tucker remains in the backfield and has been joined by Kenneth Gainwell. It's fair to wonder if the Buccaneers are going to use Gainwell similarly to how the Steelers did last year and adopt a true split backfield. In Pittsburgh, Gainwell handled 114 carries and 73 receptions (187 touches) while Jaylen Warren had 211 carries and 40 catches (254 touches). When all was said and done, the two backs combined for 441 touches, but Warren only had 67 more than Gainwell. Presumably, the Bucs will use Gainwell on a variety of downs -- not just third down -- in an attempt to keep Irving fresh for a full season after he missed seven games last year. With that being said, the addition of Gainwell to the backfield isn't necessarily bad news for Irving's fantasy stock. While we may not see him push for 20-25 touches as often, he'll theoretically stay fresh for a bigger portion of the season, perhaps allowing him to stay available for all 17 games. We're still confident in Irving's ability to serve as a mid-range RB2 for fantasy football managers this season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller