It’s now Week 13. That means we’ve spent almost three full months debating the Buccaneers’ backfield. At first, it was Rachaad White’s status on draft day. Then it was Bucky Irving’s value as a handcuff. Finally, it was the emergence of Sean Tucker as a real threat to touches. Among the running back committees across the NFL, Tampa Bay’s has been, without question, the biggest headache. Hilariously, that culminated in Sunday’s victory over the hapless Giants, with all three backs ending the day with a touchdown.
When it comes to who is the Buccaneers’ real RB1, the simple fact of the matter might be that it doesn’t matter. Both White and Irving have shown the ability to be viable while sharing snaps. In fact, across Tampa’s last four contests, the duo’s statistics look oddly similar. White’s turned 31 carries and 17 targets into four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Irving’s seen 41 rushing attempts and 19 targets in that same span of time. Where White and Irving begin to separate from each other is efficiency. White is producing a modest 3.7 yards per carry and Irving is running for 5.4 yards on each attempt. That seems important.
I have my doubts that offensive coordinator Liam Coen changes his philosophy drastically at any point. It’s clear that the Buccaneers intend to keep their backs rested and fresh by consistently rotating them throughout the game. However, it’s at least notable that Irving out-snapped White for the first time this season against New York. It was only 34-to-32, but that’s all it takes. It’s also a moment that seems justified based on Irving’s recent effectiveness.
Again, barring injury, it’s unlikely that either White or Irving ever becomes a “bell cow” back. Even if Irving does technically become the starter, it’s not like White’s going to suddenly drop below a 40% snap share. So, I think it’s time we just started thinking about Tampa Bay like a discount version of Detroit — which happens to be the only NFC squad averaging more points per game than the Buccaneers’ 28.1.
Bucky Irving and Rachaad White are more back-end RB2s, whereas David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are established RB1s, but you’re starting all four every week. That’s the point. Tampa’s duo is especially tantalizing given their matchups down the stretch. The Buccaneers play the Panthers twice (including Championship weekend in Week 17), as well as the Raiders and the Cowboys. Both will be very viable in all these spots.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
