ESPN's Jenna Laine delivered her roster projection for the Buccaneers on Monday, and that appears to include RB Bucky Irving maintaining a lead over new No. 2 RB Kenneth Gainwell.
What They're Saying: Gainwell Not Expected to Truly Split
Laine: "Irving remains the starter while Gainwell handles third-down duties while also offering a change of pace and contributions to the return game. [Sean] Tucker, despite inconsistent opportunities over the last two years, has shown he's very capable and beats out Josh Williams and Barika Kpeenu."
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Irving Solid in Low-RB2 Range
Gainwell will clearly be involved after Tampa Bay signed him for $7 million a year in free agency. And we likely won't know exactly what that split looks like until the real games start. We might even have to watch and see how it evolves.
But this version of the regular-season backfield sounds like the best case for Irving.
Third-down duties for Gainwell might seem to sap receiving value from Irving, but RBs do much of their receiving work on early downs. Pass protection gets especially important on third down, when more obvious passing situations arise.
Tucker figures to be more complement than workload challenger, though we'll have to see how frequently he replaces Irving near the goal line.
There remain challenges to Irving's weekly floor and ceiling, but his decline in ADP across draft season has added value to selecting Tampa Bay's expected lead back.
