Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving carried 21 times for 165 yards and 1 TD in Thursday night's win over the Cowboys. He added another 10 yards and a score on 2 receptions. Irving certainly benefited from a pathetic Dallas defense, but he was the best player on the field in this one. He beat CB Reddy Steward to the pylon for a 5-yard receiving TD in the second quarter and then dodged multiple defenders in the backfield before finding daylight and scampering 72 yards early in the third. Irving iced the game with a 22-yard gash with about 1 minute left.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Monitor The Goal-Line Usage
Irving’s role has been tough to pin down this season. The huge Week 5 performance followed a disappointing Week 4 that saw Irving go target-less and lose a 2-yard TD to Sean Tucker and a 10-yard TD to Kenneth Gainwell. In fact, he had played just 1 of 8 snaps inside the 10-yard line over the first four weeks.
Against Dallas, Irving got 4 touches inside the 10 and turned 2 into scores. Tucker did steal a carry from the Cowboys’ 1-yard line, but he got stuffed.
It’s tough to say what the Bucs will do near the goal line going forward, but Irving at least being an option there adds to his weekly upside.
Consider him a volatile RB2 for now.
