Buccaneers’ Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell give Baker Mayfield dangerous weapons in the passing game.
Utilizing a running back as a pass catcher out of the backfield gives NFL teams the ability to put pressure on defenses having to account for another receiver on the field. The tactic has become commonplace, especially on third down, and many teams throughout the league have a designated passing-down running back.
Having an effective passing-down back is a luxury for the teams that are lucky to have them on their rosters. This season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson have two viable pass-catching running backs in Bucky Irivin and Kenny Gainwell.
After sitting out the Buccaneers’ 24-16 win against the New York Jets in the first week of the preseason, fans will get to see the duo in action in Robison’s offense against the Kansas City Chiefs at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 22. In the win, running backs were targeted four times, catching three passes for 13 yards.
Limited to just 10 games last season due to injury, Irving had 30 receptions on 35 targets, 277 yards, three touchdowns and 11 of his receptions went for first downs. With Josh Grizzard as offensive coordinator, Tampa Bay running backs were targeted 91 times, registering 78 receptions for 529 yards and four touchdowns.
Gainwell had a career year last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, amassing 73 receptions (4.3 receptions per game) on 85 targets for 486 yards, three touchdowns and 23 first downs through the air in 17 games. In the Steelers’ first-round playoff loss to the Houston Texans, Gainwell had four catches on six targets for 26 yards.
In his last two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson showed running backs in his offense are highly involved in the passing game, namely Bijan Robinson. Last season, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft had an eye-popping 79 receptions on 103 targets, 820 yards (10.4 yards per reception), four touchdowns and picked up 37 first downs through the air.
With Irving coming into the season healthy and Gainwell heading into his sixth season, Fantasy Pros projected the pair to split the receptions. Irving is projected to catch around 40 passes for almost 340 yards and 2.25 receiving touchdowns this season. Gainwell is projected for 50 receptions for 352 yards and two touchdowns.
While for most NFL teams, employing a passing-down running back might be a signal for opposing defenses of what the next play will be, having Irving or Gainwell, or both, in the backfield not only gives quarterback Baker Mayfield more options in the passing game, but will keep defenses guessing each week.
