Honestly, if you watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a few years ago, the "run game" was basically just a rumor. It was painful. But man, things have shifted. We aren't just looking at a placeholder position anymore; the current room of running backs for Tampa Bay Buccaneers has become the actual heartbeat of the offense. It’s not just about one guy taking 30 carries into a brick wall. It’s about a weirdly perfect blend of a shifty rookie-turned-star, a pass-catching specialist who basically functions as a receiver, and a backup who can explode for 100 yards the second you forget he’s on the roster.
Most people look at the stats and see a middle-of-the-pack rushing total, but that misses the point. The Bucs have built a backfield that doesn't just run—it creates space for Baker Mayfield to actually breathe.
The Bucky Irving Factor: A True Diamond in the Rough
Let’s talk about Bucky Irving. When he came out of Oregon, some scouts were worried about his size. They were wrong. Irving didn't just walk into the starting role; he kicked the door down. In 2024, he put up over 1,100 yards and averaged a ridiculous 5.4 yards per carry. You don’t just stumble into those numbers in the NFL.
He’s got this low center of gravity that makes him nearly impossible to wrap up on the first hit. Last season, he was second only to Derrick Henry in yards after forced missed tackles. Think about that for a second. A guy who is 5'10" and under 200 pounds is playing with the same secondary-level violence as a human semi-truck.
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But 2025 was a bit of a reality check. Injuries are the tax you pay for playing that hard. A shoulder issue and a nagging foot injury sidelined him for a huge chunk of the middle of the season. When he finally returned in Week 13 against the Cardinals, you could feel the entire energy of the stadium shift. He didn't look quite as explosive immediately, but by December, he was back to forcing missed tackles at a 31.5% clip. That is the highest in the league among backs with significant carries. He’s the engine. When Bucky goes, the Bucs go.
Rachaad White and the "Swiss Army Knife" Role
While Bucky is the lightning, Rachaad White is the glue. It’s trendy to criticize White’s pure rushing average—it hovers around 3.9 to 4.3 depending on the week—but that’s looking at the game through a 1990s lens. White is a top-five receiving back in the NFL. Period.
Since 2023, the dude is third in receiving touchdowns among backs. He’s got better hands than some starting wideouts in this league. Todd Bowles has been vocal about this, calling him a "lead back" even when the carries are split. White is the guy you want on the field on 3rd-and-7 because he can pick up a blitzing linebacker or leak out for a 15-yard screen pass that breaks the defense’s back.
He recently moved past Leonard Fournette for the fifth-most receptions by a back in franchise history. He’s also chasing down Mike Alstott’s receiving touchdown record. If you’re playing fantasy, you know the deal: White might not give you 100 yards on the ground, but he’ll give you 8 catches and a score in the flat, which is arguably more valuable in the modern game.
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Don't Sleep on Sean Tucker
The depth chart doesn't end with the big two. Sean Tucker is the wild card. Remember his game against the Saints in 2024? 192 scrimmage yards out of nowhere. Then in 2025, when Irving was hurt, Tucker stepped up again, specifically in a massive Week 11 performance against the Bills where he notched 106 yards and two scores.
He’s faster than people give him credit for. When he gets into the open field, he’s gone. The Bucs use him as a change-of-pace guy, but he’s essentially a "break glass in case of emergency" starter who produces like a RB1. Having him as the third option is a luxury most teams in the NFC South simply don't have.
The Liam Coen and Josh Grizzard Impact
You can't talk about these players without talking about the scheme. Moving away from the stagnant "run-run-pass" cycles of the past, Liam Coen brought in a system that loves mid-zone and gap schemes. It fits Irving’s vision perfectly.
Then you have Josh Grizzard, who took over the play-calling. Grizzard has leaned into the "positionless" nature of Rachaad White. You'll see White lined up in the slot or even out wide, forcing a linebacker to cover him in space. That’s a mismatch every single time. The Bucs offense became the first in history to complete 70% of their passes while averaging over 5.0 yards per rush in the same season (2024). That’s not an accident; it’s a design.
What to Expect Moving Forward
The 2026 outlook for the running backs for Tampa Bay Buccaneers is actually at a bit of a crossroads. Both Rachaad White and Sean Tucker are heading toward free agency. The front office has some massive decisions to make. Do they pay White for his versatility, or do they bank on Irving being the long-term workhorse and find a cheaper complement in the draft?
If you’re a fan, here is what you should be watching:
- Snap Counts: Watch the 50/40 split. When Irving takes more than 60% of the snaps, the run game is usually more efficient, but the passing game loses that checkdown safety net that White provides.
- Forced Missed Tackles: This is the stat that defines the Bucs' success. If Irving and Tucker aren't breaking the first tackle, this offensive line (which has had its share of injuries) can't carry the load alone.
- The Screen Game: The Bucs are one of the best YAC (Yards After Catch) teams in the league. If the screen game to the backs disappears, the offense stalls.
The days of Tampa Bay being a "pass-only" team are over. They’ve built a room that is versatile, young, and—honestly—pretty fun to watch. Whether it's Bucky Irving making three guys miss in the backfield or Rachaad White mossing a linebacker on a wheel route, the backfield is finally a weapon rather than a weakness.
Keep an eye on the injury reports heading into the next few months; a healthy Bucky Irving is the difference between a playoff run and a top-10 draft pick. If they can keep this trio together or find a suitable replacement for White in the coming months, the ground game in Tampa is going to be a problem for the rest of the league for a long time.
Next Steps for Fans:
Check the updated 2026 cap space for the Buccaneers. If they can’t reach a deal with Rachaad White by March, expect the team to scout high-upside receiving backs in the mid-rounds of the upcoming draft to maintain that specific offensive wrinkle.