Bucs' backfield has wide range of outcomes in 2026
With Todd Bowles labeling Kenneth Gainwell as the Bucs' "1B" option as the summer begins, Patrick Daugherty and Denny Carter assess how to approach Tampa Bay's backfield in fantasy drafts this year.
Video Transcript
Bucky Irving was one of 2025's biggest fantasy disappointments, Denny Carter, and the disappointing news continued in free agency, where Tampa added Kenneth Gainwell.
He wasn't getting off scot-free after Rashaad White departed in free agency.
There's still competition here.
Now head coach Todd Bowles is la- labeling Kenneth Gainwell as the, quote, "1B back."
Not something you wanna hear if you're looking forward to relying on Bucky Irving in 2025.
I am in my dynasty league.
Right now, Irving's around RB23, Kenneth Gainwell around RB36.
those If those ADPs start converging or diverging, just how are you gonna approach this backfield?
Is it now squarely in zero RB territory, Denny?
Yeah, it's something close to that.
you know, I would say that, you know, Bucky Irving backers, should be happy that, you know, Kenny Gainwell's not already the top back.
that might flip, you know, like you said, in, in training camp, maybe early in the season.
Gainwell is such a reliable player as far as pass catching and route running goes that I would tend to decide with him.
The thing is, though, Bucky Irving has been really good as a pass catcher, in the NFL and in college.
So I'm not dismissing him as, you know, a guy who can't get it done, both in the run game and the pass game.
He can.
I'll go with the slightly cheapu run- cheaper running back for now as far as ADP goes with Gainwell.
Maybe the low ADP is good news for Bucky Irving, too, and maybe he will continue to fall.
If you believe in the talent, you believe last year was an aberration, you know, we don't really know what went on with Bucky Irving, maybe he'll fall into the RB3 range and then end up producing like the RB14 to 16 range as a low-end RB1, high-end RB2.
Lot of possibilities in this, this Bucs backfield.
We'll keep you updated on all of them at rotoworld.com.
