The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back room has the potential to be one of the best position groups in the entire NFL. Tampa Bay’s backs are something the team can rely on in 2026.
Why Buccaneers’ Running Back Room Is Poised to Be Their Strongest Position Group in 2026
Tampa Bay boasts three running backs who have shown they can produce at a high level on any given Sunday: Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker.
While the Buccaneers have other talented position groups, they all have question marks attached to them. At quarterback, was Baker Mayfield’s 2025 season an aberration or the new norm? At wide receiver, is the Bucs’ young talent ready to fill the void left by Mike Evans’ departure? Along the offensive line, is the interior of the line ready to stay healthier and produce at the same level as the tackles? On the defensive line, is Calijah Kancey ready to stay healthy and take the next step to elevate the entire unit?
The Buccaneers’ running back room features players who have produced on the ground and through the air in recent years. Having multiple options gives the Bucs the ability to avoid missing a beat when the dreaded injury bug rears its ugly head.
Both Irving and Gainwell were ranked among Last Word on NFL’s best NFC South running backs.
Let’s take a deeper look at Tampa Bay’s strongest position group heading into 2026.
Bucky Irving
Tampa Bay’s projected starting running back heading into this season is Irving.
Irving is entering his third NFL season. His rookie year in 2024 and last season couldn’t have been more different.
In 2024, Irving was one of the NFL’s best rookies and an emerging star. He ran for 1,122 yards, becoming the first Buc since Doug Martin to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. His 5.4 yards per carry ranked sixth in the NFL, and he was the highest-graded rookie, according to Pro Football Focus. He helped lead the Bucs to the NFL’s fourth-ranked rushing offense.
In 2025, Irving’s season was marred by injuries, as he missed seven games with shoulder and ankle injuries. He finished with just 588 rushing yards while averaging 3.4 yards per carry. His struggles contributed to the Bucs’ rushing offense falling to 14th in the NFL.
Now, Irving heads into training camp healthy, according to Bucs general manager Jason Licht.
“[Bucky Irving is] fine,” Licht said on the Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast last month. “In fact, I think if we were playing here in a couple of weeks, he’d be ready to go.”
Irving has also shown the ability to make an impact as a receiver out of the backfield. He has 669 career receiving yards while averaging 8.9 yards per reception.
If Irving stays healthy and produces like he did in 2024, he could once again become one of the NFL’s most electric running backs.
Kenneth Gainwell
Gainwell signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Bucs this offseason.
Last season, Gainwell had the best year of his five-year NFL career. He rushed for 537 yards and added 486 receiving yards with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. He was one of only five running backs to record at least 500 rushing yards and 450 receiving yards.
His 73 receptions ranked fourth among running backs last season, while his 486 receiving yards ranked fifth.
He was also effective on the ground, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, which ranked 14th in the NFL. He also finished inside the league’s top 15 in explosive run rate.
Gainwell produced those numbers despite playing behind Jaylen Warren, who served as Pittsburgh’s primary running back. Warren carried the ball 211 times, while Gainwell had 114 carries.
Gainwell is the only running back in the NFL to play in at least 16 games in each of the past five seasons.
He is one of the league’s best backup running backs and should provide another valuable weapon for Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense.
Sean Tucker
Tucker cemented himself as one of the league’s best third-string running backs last season after he was pressed into a larger role following Irving’s midseason injury.
He was a valuable member of the Buccaneers’ running back room last season finishing with a career-high 320 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Tucker’s seven rushing touchdowns led the Bucs. He, along with New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, were the only players in the NFL last season to record at least seven rushing touchdowns while logging fewer than 100 carries.
Playing behind Irving and Rachaad White over the past two seasons, Tucker hasn’t had many opportunities to make a major impact. He has appeared in only four games during his three-year NFL career.
But Tucker has produced when given the opportunity. In 2024, he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after totaling 192 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints. Last season, he followed that up with 140 total yards and three touchdowns in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills.
Tucker signed a one-year, $3.52 million contract with the Bucs this offseason, giving Tampa Bay one of the league’s best insurance policies if either Irving or Gainwell misses time.
There’s no denying the Buccaneers’ running back room is set to be one of the league’s best from top to bottom in 2026.
Main Photo Courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck – Imagn Images
