Over 25 years ago “They forgot about Dre”. In 2026, they may have forgotten about Buck-ay. The collective NFL world is certainly down on the third year running back after a disappointing sophomore season. Pro Football Focus just released their running back rankings ahead of the 2026 season and Irving ends up on the south side of the midway point among NFL starters.

Pro Football Focus Ranks Bucs RB Bucky Irving 17th

Irving’s struggles with injuries and effectiveness are well documented. And it seems Pro Football Focus has him tumbling down their list of the best backs in the NFL. They have him 17th overall just behind Dallas’ Javonte Williams and Cincinnati’s Chase Brown.

Authors Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick had this to say about Tampa Bay’s talented runner.

“Primarily due to injury, Irving suffered a letdown in 2025 after a spectacular rookie season that saw him rush for over 1,100 yards. His 3.4 yards-per-carry mark was the lowest among running backs with at least 100 carries. Yet Irving still managed to make an impact as a receiver, tallying 1.49 yards per route run, eighth-best among qualified running backs. The third-year pro will be looking for a major bounce-back in 2026.”

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Nathan Ray Seebeck

This was a far cry from his eighth place ranking last year. At that time, former Pewter Reporter writer Trevor Sikkema wrote, “Irving was sensational as a rookie. He didn’t quite have the volume stats of other running backs in this list’s range, but his efficiency scores were that of a top-10 back.

He earned a 90.0 PFF rushing grade with 62 forced missed tackles and led the NFL with 3.93 yards after contact per attempt (among running backs with at least 150 carries). He also posted a 90.2 PFF receiving grade, the second-highest mark at the position.”

League Decision Makers Agree

This ranking matches a recent annual poll that ESPN writer Jeremy Fowler does of NFL executives, coaches and scouts looking at who real decision makers value. That list which features a composite top ten at each position group along with honorable mentions who miss the cut but still garner votes. Irving is completely missing from a list that saw 20 other backs receiving votes.

On that same list in 2025 he was the first back to miss the top 10. Fowler’s comment from an anonymous NFL coordinator at that time was, “Combination of speed, quicks and contact balance. Heck of a runner. Rarely goes down on first contact.”

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Sam Navarro

That part of his game eroded substantially in 2025. His yards after contact per carry declined by over 40% while his missed tackles forced rate slipped from 25.4% in 2024 to 17.9% last season. Without elite straight-line speed it was his ability to stay on his feet through contact that made him so special at Oregon and during his rookie season. Without that skill he profiles much more as a change-of-pace, third down back. As Wasserman and Chadwick note, despite his injuries he still performed well as a pass-catcher last year. His 1.49 yards per route run in 2025 remained close to the 1.62 mark he posted the year prior.

Irving’s professional career thus far has been a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde adventure. He appears healthy again, which feeds the hope that 2026 looks more like 2024 than 2025. But health alone may not settle it. If the contact balance eroded mechanically rather than simply from playing hurt, getting back to full strength doesn’t automatically restore the trait that made him. That’s the real story here. Was his regression in 2025 fueled only by health issues? Forced missed tackles and yards after contact aren’t stable metrics year over year. There’s a real chance that his 2024 was a highwater mark for his career.

Tampa Bay may have also hedged their bet on Irving while framing the move as a complementary one. They gave a strong contract to Kenny Gainwell this offseason to take some load off of Irving’s plate. But Gainwell’s skillset is similar to that of Irving’s as a shifty receiving back who can make defenders miss in space and create big plays.

Bucs RB Kenneth Gainwell – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

If Irving’s struggles continue to start the 2026 season, it isn’t a far-fetched idea that offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could flip to a Gainwell-led backfield with Irving operating as the “1B” to Gainwell’s lead back.