Running back can be the most difficult position to feel good about on a weekly basis for fantasy football managers due to the volatility of the position.
At the receiver position, it’s rare that a player completely loses his role barring an injury, but backfield touch distribution can flip at the drop of a hat. Is that what we are in the process of seeing for Tampa Bay?
Rachaad White’s Fantasy Football Stock
Rachaad White struggled with efficiency through his first two NFL seasons (3.7 yards per carry, ypc, in 2022 and 3.6 ypc last season), but was still a very viable fantasy option due to his ability to excel in the passing game (114 catches over those two seasons).
He was given the opportunity to succeed in space because Tampa Bay didn’t have a better option. That, however, is no longer the case, as fourth-round pick Bucky Irving has shown that the explosion he showed at Oregon (6.3 yards per carry last season to go along with 56 receptions) very much plays at the professional level.
With White again failing to do much more than fall forward in the first half against the Buccaneers, Irving sparked Tampa Bay’s lone scoring drive with runs of 32 yards on a nice play design that saw him run away from the flow of the offensive line and a 13-yarder that put this offense at the one-yard line.
.@BuckyIrving with the moves 💨
📺: #DENvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/zn8X1KCGcG
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 22, 2024
White got the valuable touch — and failed. The Bucs finished the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin, but did we just see the hierarchy of this backfield flip?
Fantasy Football Rest of Season Value
We still need more time before we declare Irving the leader of this backfield, but the rookie certainly has momentum.
Upcoming schedule:
- Week 4 vs. Eagles
- Week 5 at Falcons (TNF)
- Week 6 at Saints
- Week 7 vs. Ravens
Irving managers would love to win the sprint, but their status in the marathon of a regular season looks optimistic. Tampa Bay goes on bye in Week 11 and, after that, they have one of the most favorable schedules in the league:
- Week 12 at Giants
- Week 13 at Panthers
- Week 14 vs. Raiders
- Week 15 at Chargers
- Week 16 at Cowboys
- Week 17 vs. Panthers
There’s not much in the way of weather, or strong defenses for that matter, to worry about down the stretch of the fantasy season.
The question we need answered — how stubborn are the Bucs going to be with White? With over two seasons of tape, I think it’s very possible that Irving leads this team in carries moving forward, but if White continues to be prioritized in the passing game and given the first look at valuable carries, Irving’s ceiling is going to be capped, even should he assume the lead role.
I don't know how Bucky Irving isn't RB1 in Tampa already
today:
Bucky Irving has 49 yds on 4 carries (12.3 YPC)
Rachaad White 17 yds on 6 (2.8 YPC)
on the season:
Irving: 133 yds on 20 att (6.7 YPC)
White: 66 yds on 31 att (2.1 YPC)
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 22, 2024
At this moment, I value White above Irving, but the gap is certainly narrowing and it could flip when all the chips are in the middle of the table in December.