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There were questions about where Oregon running back Bucky Irving would go in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was a smaller back -- sitting 5-foot-10, 190 pounds -- but he was a player who put up big numbers in his final two seasons with the Ducks.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers eventually took a chance on Irving in the fourth round to complement current starter Rachaad White out of the backfield. The Oregon product was the sixth running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and the second back taken on Day 3.
With Irving now headed to Tampa, did he land in a good spot for fantasy? What is his fantasy football outlook for Year 1? Let's dive in and find out.
College Production
Irving started his college career at the University of Minnesota, where he split reps as a true freshman with Ky Thomas. That season saw him rush for 699 yards on 133 attempts (5.3 yards per carry) with four touchdowns. He also caught eight passes for 73 yards through the air.
Following that season, though, Irving transferred to Oregon and took his game to another level. He totaled 1,058 yards and five touchdowns on the ground while also reeling in 31 catches for 299 yards and three touchdowns. The Illinois native got better as the season went on and ended his sophomore campaign with 149 rush yards and two touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina.
Bucky Irving vanishes behind his OL and creates yards on his own pic.twitter.com/PVVigHdyq8
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 22, 2024
Irving then carried that performance into his final college season. He totaled career highs in rush attempts (186), rush yards (1,180), rush touchdowns (11), receptions (56), and receiving yards (413) in 2023. That campaign ultimately raised his draft stock and led to the running back getting selected in the fourth round. The 5-foot-10 back finished his college career with 2,937 rush yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.
Rookie Year Situation
There were a handful of teams that were great landing spots for running backs in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of those spots was the Buccaneers. Despite White being the team's undoubted starter, Tampa Bay was definitely in need of another running back.
With the Buccaneers heading into the draft with just White, Chase Edmonds, and Sean Tucker on their roster, whichever running back the team selected was going to see some opportunities immediately as a rookie. That should surely be the case for Irving in Year 1. The former Oregon product has a great chance to start the year as Tampa's RB2, especially considering both Edmonds and Tucker didn't show much on offense in 2023.
#Bucs Bucky Irving is in the building speaking with the media pic.twitter.com/07UxKdP6uY
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) May 10, 2024
White will no doubt be the Buccaneers starting running back during the 2024-2025 season. But don't be surprised if the team limits his workload on the ground a little bit this season. He only averaged 3.6 yards per carry last year and couldn't top 1,000 rush yards on 272 carries.
As a result, look for the rookie to be incorporated more as the season goes on. He is a good runner who only fumbled once in his college career. His ability to catch passes in the receiving game should help him stay on the field, too. Irving should see some opportunities in his first year behind White.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Even though Irving might have the edge for the RB2 job to open the year, that doesn't necessarily make him a late-round target in fantasy drafts. White saw 336 touches last year, and if that were to continue into this season, there just might not be many opportunities for the rookie to shine.
In 2023, Tampa Bay's backup running backs (Edmonds, Tucker, and Ke'Shawn Vaughn) only combined for 88 carries, 241 rush yards, 18 receptions, and 92 receiving yards. That surely does not bode well for Irving in his first year. However, there's a strong possibility that things will change this upcoming season.
For starters, former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales is no longer with the team, which is a big reason why White was used that much on offense. Irving is also more than capable of taking the load off of White this year. He showed that potential at Oregon while totaling over 2,900 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns in two seasons.
#Bucs HC Todd Bowles on Bucky Irving:
“He can make the first guy miss more often than not, and that’s a rare trait to have in this ball game… To make a guy miss, the first guy miss, and potentially have big play ability is something that we didn’t have a lot of last year.” pic.twitter.com/h23JAmht2x
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) May 10, 2024
For now, Irving might be nothing more than a handcuff in fantasy. Training camp, though, will be very telling on what the Buccaneers plan to do with the rookie in Year 1. He's not necessarily worth a late-round pick in redraft formats but could turn into one if the team limits White's workload throughout the year.
In dynasty formats, Irving is a solid third-round pick. He has the potential to see some reps immediately and could be a nice long-term asset for fantasy managers. The former Oregon product is still just 21 years old, and White only has two more years left on his rookie deal. There is a real upside in drafting the rookie in the third round because a starting role could be in the cards for him one day.
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