Irving gets up to top speed quickly, as exhibited in his 90th percentile 10-yard split. He's more quick than fast. He doesn't have "run away from you" long speed, which also shows up in his 4.55 40-yard dash (68th percentile). Once Irving gets into the second level of a defense, he can do damage. With a head of steam, he can break arm tackles, and defenders can slide off him at times. He has issues breaking tackles immediately if contacted in the backfield or in the hole. His lateral agility is a plus, as he displays smooth footwork moving horizontally. However, he does have choppy steps when asked to change direction or string multiple moves in the open field together. He can get himself into trouble in the open field when he should be hitting the accelerator, but instead, he slows up to vary his pace or tries to juke a defender. Irving is just a check-down option in the passing game. He was a screen and swing pass target at Oregon. Irving would line up on the perimeter and then be motioned toward the quarterback, and as soon as the ball is snapped, he would speed horizontally to receive an elongated handoff. Dynasty Outlook: Irving becomes a Tampa Bay Buccaneer with mildly surprising fourth-round draft capital, considering his meh-level athletic testing (2.22 RAS). Irving should face some resistance from Chase Edmonds to become the direct backup to the team's workhorse in Rachaad White. Irving makes the most sense for teams that are already rostering White and want to roster his handcuff, but he's also taxi squad viable in every format and worth a pick in the fourth round of your dynasty rookie drafts.
by in FantasyMay 3, 2024