Irving finished the Bucs' 33-27 loss to Cincinnati with 93 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, including 48 receiving yards. That total has him tied for second among NFL running backs in receiving yards after Week 1, trailing only Falcons running back Bijan Robinson's 90 yards. Irving caught all seven of his targets for 48 yards, including a 22-yard reception, while Kenneth Gainwell finished with just one catch for three yards.
Irving carried eight times for 45 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt. He looked quicker getting through the line and was able to make defenders miss with the same change of direction that became such a big part of his game as a rookie. After rushing for 1,122 yards while averaging 5.4 yards per carry
in 2024, Irving dealt with injuries during his second season and was limited to 10 games. His rushing average fell to 3.4 yards per carry as he finished with 588 yards. Irving's 5.6 yards per carry against Cincinnati was actually slightly higher than his 2024 average, and Zac Robinson also found different ways to get him involved rather than relying entirely on traditional carries.
The Bucs used Irving out of the backfield and gave him opportunities in space, something that could become an important part of Robinson's offense. His seven receptions were nearly as many touches as he received as a runner. The one negative came on a first-half fumble after a reception, one of four Tampa Bay turnovers that played a major role in the loss. Outside of that mistake, Irving's first game back healthy was encouraging. After injuries took away some of his explosiveness last season, Week 1 looked much more like the Bucky Irving the Bucs saw as a rookie.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucky Irving 2nd in RB receiving yards after week 1
