Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was seen in a walking boot and may miss Week 5 and beyond.
The Buccaneers seem to be one step forward and one step back when it comes to injuries. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin swapping places on the injury report, star running back Bucky Irving was seen in a walking boot.
The obvious person to benefit will be backup Rachaad White who has experience as a starting running back. A not so obvious fantasy addition is Sean Tucker. Tucker was the RB1 overall last season in Week 6 versus the Saints with 34.2 fantasy points on 192 total yards and 2 touchdowns.
While Tucker is an alluring name, he has had less than 1% of the teams opportunity share thus far to White’s 26%. As a starter in 2023, White was the RB10 in fantasy points per game with 15.8 in 17 games played. White can immediately be plugged in to play while Tucker presents upside with no guarantee he’ll get significant action in Week 5. As this could be a multi-week absence for Irving, both White and Tucker are must roster players.
Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White has seen an...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White is expected...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White took full ...
Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White suffers injury in first preseason game.
Rachaad White exited the Buccaneers August 9th preseason game against the Titans due to a groin injury, having rushed six times for 28 yards before being ruled out for the remainder of the matchup. Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that White will undergo further testing to assess the severity of the injury.
White could remain valuable given his reliability as a pass-catcher, but his availability in the lead-up to Week 1 is uncertain. This injury opens a window for Sean Tucker, whose efficiency last season (6.2 yards per carry on limited attempts) makes him a candidate to carve out a more prominent role.
Irving was already going in the second or third round and the White injury makes this a safer bet. The more interesting angle is Tucker, he’s been going in the late rounds or undrafted but he might start to climb draft boards now.
Author: David Leonard (@RealDelcoDave)
Bucs coach Todd Bowles addressed Bucky Irving and the team’s backfield at the annual spring meetings.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles spoke to the media on Tuesday and was asked about the running back hierarchy. Bowles made it clear that while it is a committee situation, he did not mince words while mentioning the second-year running back Bucky Irving’s name first.
“Bucky (Irving) will be the guy coming in. Rachaad (White) will play a ton, too. Depending on how the game goes is how you rotate and use them… I think we gotta get Sean (Tucker) in there a little bit more, as well, because he’s a heck of a runner for us and we gotta play him a lot more than we played him in the past.”
In 2024, Irving amassed 1,514 yards from scrimmage with eight touchdowns to his credit. White totaled 1,006 yards with nine TDs and Tucker 413/3.
Bowles has mentioned an increased workload for Tucker in the past, which never really came to fruition for the Bucs. While the 1-2 backs are must-roster players in the high-power Tampa Bay offense, the changing of the guard seems complete since Irving became the go-to back by the midway point of last year.
Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)
Rachaad White’s dynasty future remains very cloudy after the emergence of Bucky Irving.
Heading into the 2024 season, Rachaad White looked like one of the safest selections in drafts at his ~rb14 draft position because of the massive workload he received in 2023, the perceived lack of competition for touches, and his unquestioned pass catching abilities at the position(64 catches/549 yards).
The Bucs 4th round pick running back Bucky Irving showed flashes of the the imminent future early on, but those in denial explained it through various tropes in the “copecabulary,” as there was still very little reason for concern. The bigger, more physically imposing 214lb White would have the short yardage work and the passing game work almost exclusively to himself over the 195lb Irving.
Things changed after an embarrassing loss to the Denver Broncos at home. Todd Bowles made it known that Bucky Irving would be “more involved” moving forward. From week 4 on Bucky gave the Bucs a dynamic punch the backfield had lacked, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and recording 40 receptions. Irving would finish outside of the top 24 on the week just twice from weeks 4-10 despite only playing 60% of snaps once in the same span.
So where does that leave us with Rachaad White in 2025? White is entering the final year of his rookie deal with Tampa. The Bucs are certainly not inclined to trade him. However, they have shown no signs of him regaining a major role in the offense as he handled just one carry for one yard and two catches for 14 yards in the Wild Card loss to the Commanders. Bucky handled 19 touches for 83 yards and a score.
White’s future as a high end dynasty asset is seems tied to a change of environment or a decline in the health of Bucky Irving, making him a dynasty faller.
Justin Currie
@Chev90 on X
Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Rachaad White is officially inactive, Bucky Irving to draw the start.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting running back Rachaad White is set to miss Sunday’s matchup vs Saints. White was struggling averaging 3.7 yards per carry, he will now get replaced by Bucky Irving, who was already cutting into White’s workload will now get it all.
Bucky Irving have a heavy workload this weekend, he is averaging almost 50 rushing yards per game, but he will now get work as the receiving back. Irving should produce good numbers in PPR formats. Look for White to come back Week 7 back to his starting role.
Rachaad White is one of the top fallers in PlayerProfiler’s Dynasty Deluxe lifetime value rating for the beginning of October.
Rachaad White’s dynasty value has been declining due to the emergence of rookie running back Bucky Irving. Initially seen as a pass-catching threat, Irving has shown impressive explosiveness as a runner. Irving averages 5.6 yards per carry this season compared to White’s 3.6.
While White had a notable 56-yard run in Week 5, he couldn’t capitalize on it for a touchdown and doesn’t seem like a safe bet to consistently break off long runs. Additionally, Irving’s costly fumble late in Week 5 is sure to raise concerns about his ball security. Despite these factors, Irving’s overall performance suggests he will be the better long-term option. Dynasty owners of White should consider capitalizing on the moment and selling him now before his value drops further. The uncertainty surrounding his future role in the offense, and head coach Todd Bowles’ commitment to Irving even after the fumble, makes this a good time to sell.
