When Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving was seen in a walking boot, fans knew he didn’t have much of a shot to play in Week 5. Irving was banged up in the team’s first season loss, 31-25, to the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
After finishing with 165 combined yards, Irving’s absence will be missed as the Bucs look for a rebound win in Seattle.
What Does the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart Look Like Without RB Bucky Irving?
HC Todd Bowles officially ruled Irving out due to his foot and shoulder injuries. The 23-year-old immediately made his presence known last season as he rushed for 1,122 yards. He’s only found the end zone twice this season, but both were receptions. After not having a receiving touchdown last year, the Oregon graduate clearly expanded his game in the offseason. Now, the Bucs are left without him.
Irving was given a C- through the team’s first four games, putting him 32nd in PFSN’s RB Impact metric. It’s unknown how long he’ll be without, but the Bucs are in good hands with RB Rachaad White in the backfield. Currently, ESPN lists Sean Tucker as RB3 and Josh Williams as RB4.
White, 26, is in his final year of his rookie contract. Having been with the team since 2022, White has 2,192 career rushing yards and 1,232 career receiving yards. He had a monster season in 2023, finishing just 10 yards shy of 1,000 rushing and adding 549 in the air. His numbers speak for themselves, and he’s off to a good start as RB2 in 2025.
While no one expected Irving to surpass White as RB1 this quickly, White now has a chance to prove himself once again. While he put up his most yards in 2023, White’s 4.3 yards per attempt last season were a career high. He still had nine total touchdowns last year, six coming from QB Baker Mayfield. He may not have a receiving touchdown yet this season, but he has a rushing touchdown, which puts him ahead of Irving.
In 2025, White is averaging a career high of 4.7 yards per attempt. He’s been given the ball just 23 times this season, but has been able to turn that into 108 yards. Mayfield has yet to involve White in the passing game, but that will be a huge focal point heading into Seattle. So far this season, White has just eight receptions for 34 yards. His 4.3 yards per reception are down massively from 7.7 last year and the 8.6 he had in 2023.
