Second-Year RBs We’re Buying Right Now

We’re continuing the Second-Year Scouting Report series, this time with running backs. You know the deal by now. It’s not about dynasty rankings or trade calculators. It’s about understanding what actually happened last year and what it means moving forward.

Some of these backs flashed. Most flopped. Some are still waiting on their shot. Year 2 is when clarity starts to hit, but for whom?

Let’s dive in.

Check out the series: QB | WR | TE (still to come!)

Second-Year Scouting Report: Running Backs

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One of the few rookie running backs who actually hit last year. Bucky Irving went in the late second or early third round of most rookie drafts and wound up as one of the biggest steals of the class. He finished as the RB14 overall, despite only clearing a 60% snap share twice all season. That’s real efficiency, and the tape backed it up — he looked electric in space, slippery through contact, and tough as hell between the tackles for a guy his size.

And that’s where we have to talk profile. Irving’s game is built on burst and balance, but he’s still an undersized back by NFL standards. He’s not built for 250 carries, and while the flashes were awesome, projecting a major workload bump is where things get tricky.

Right now, the market is assuming a leap. He’s consistently ranked as a top-10 dynasty RB, and folks are drafting him like he’s a locked-in RB1. The problem? Rachaad White is still in town, and whatever you think of White’s rushing ability, he’s a legit pass catcher and plays in passing situations. That caps Irving’s target ceiling, and targets are the cheat code we want in fantasy. Without a meaningful shift in usage, it’s hard to see Irving climbing much higher than what he has already given us.

Fantasy Take