The day-after-NFL chatter on this Monday?

Among fantasy team owners, it was all about Syracuse alum Sean Tucker and the number of points -- 34 -- he produced for their teams on Sunday.

Tucker, a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had a day to remember. The former Orange back (2020-22) carried the ball 19 times for 106 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and scored two rushing touchdowns. He caught two passes for 34 yards, adding another touchdown. 

Tucker, 24, took a more prominent role in the Bucs’ offense as lead back Bucky Irving continued to miss time due to foot and shoulder injuries. Irving has been out since Week 4.

A very big day

Tucker certainly stepped up on Sunday.

The Buccaneers signed him in 2023 as an undrafted free agent. In his first two seasons, Tucker appeared in 28 games and gained 447 yards from scrimmage, scoring twice.

Entering the Buffalo game, he had 32 carries and 129 yards gained with two touchdowns in the first nine contests of the season. His five receptions didn’t add anything; he had minus-4 yards. 

With Tampa Bay down 14-10 at the 5:37 mark of the second quarter, Tucker ran 43 yards into the end zone to culminate a six-play, 66-yard drive.

With the Bucs trailing 21-20, Tucker scored his second TD on a 6-yard run. The two-point conversion failed, giving Tampa Bay a five-point lead.

A minute into the fourth quarter, Tucker hauled in a 28-yard Baker Mayfield pass to give the Buccaneers back a fleeting 32-31 lead.

The Bills went on to score two touchdowns, both on Josh Allen runs, to win 44-32.

After the game, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said after the game that Tucker impressed.

“He got started off hot early. We went with the hot hand. Once you get a hot hand, we … leave him in there regardless of who the back is. Today it was him and he did a great job.”

With the Orange, Tucker played in 33 games. He carried the ball 589 times for 3,182 yards and 27 touchdowns. His 1,496 yards in 2021 set a Syracuse single-season rushing record. He was named to multiple All-America teams after that season.

At the time he concluded his career, he was third on the Orange’s career rushing record list. 

And now, he’s first in the hearts of fantasy-team owners who had him in their lineups.

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