Tampa Bay opened with a 29-7 preseason win over Tennessee, but the spotlight centered on Rachaad White, who left with a groin injury on his final carry. Bowles labeled it day-to-day, signaling a precautionary approach rather than a long-term setback. With the run game critical to Tampa’s plan, White and Bucky Irving are the top two backs tasked with shouldering workloads in 2025, while Sean Tucker and Owen Wright provide depth and potential breakout bursts if White misses time.

Sanity for Buccaneers fans came in Bowles’ update, which eased fear of a serious issue. The team still explored other backs—Tucker and Wright—who flashed in the Titans tilt, and Wright ripped off 87 yards and a TD on 13 carries, suggesting a real floor if White’s groin lingers. Tampa’s next test against Pittsburgh could lock in rotation notes and highlight how the backfield might distribute carries once regular-season hits. Fantasy managers should monitor White’s status closely, with Irving and Tucker looming as viable insurance/floor options.

Overall, the playbook emphasizing the run remains intact, but the health guardrails around White will shape early-season usage. If White sits again, Irving and Tucker become intrinsic depth players with upside in favorable matchups, while Wright’s preseason showing hints at a potential sleeper path in deeper fantasy formats as the backfield committee crystallizes.

Rachaad White exited Tampa Bay's preseason tilt with a groin concern after six carries for 26 yards, triggering immediate questions about TB’s backfield health and Week 1 viability. The Buccaneers pulled him, hinting at a cautious approach to a key asset as the season looms.

Baker Mayfield emphasized White and Bucky Irving as primary pass-catching options, signaling a versatile skill set TB wants in the backfield. If White misses time, Irving could see increased targets and more reps, reshaping the fantasy landscape of TB’s RB group and the team’s short-yardage plans.

Preseason risk remains real; coaches balance live reps with injury prevention. White’s status will drive early-season planing, and a lingering issue could force a deeper RB rotation to shoulder the workload as the Buccaneers prepare for the opener.

TB’s backfield is crowded, but undrafted Josh Williams is making noise. He’s trying to secure the RB4 spot behind Irving, White and Tucker, rallying back from an early camp injury to rejoin practice and suit up for joint sessions with the Steelers in preseason. New signing Owen Wright flashed in the Titans game with 87 yards and a TD on 18 carries, heightening Williams’ urgency to stand out in practice and Saturday lights. With White day-to-day with a groin issue and Wright keeping soreness in check, Williams has a real chance to carve a path to the 53-man roster if he keeps showing the vision, burst and elusiveness the staff liked coming in.

Coaches stress the importance of Williams seizing opportunities this week, knowing healthy RBs are precious at the moment. TB deploys a dynamic ground game, and Williams’ skill set fits the scheme, giving him a practical shot if he can recapture form quickly. For fantasy managers, Williams is a late-round dart in deeper leagues or a watch-list stash in standard formats, since a few handled touches or an injury could thrust him into meaningful Week 1 opportunities.

Rachaad White left TB's first preseason game against Tennessee with a groin injury in the opening quarter, finishing with six carries for 28 yards. Kyle Trask worked with a largely rested offense, while Sean Tucker handled backfield duties after White exited. The Buccaneers used the night to evaluate depth behind White, a third-round pick from Arizona State entering the final year of his rookie contract. White’s absence could inject more run-game opportunity for Tucker and for Bucs rookie Bucky Irving, who last season proved productive as TB's leading rookie rusher with 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns on a strong per-carry clip. Irving’s impressive 1,514 scrimmage yards as a rookie underline the backfield talent TB can lean on if White misses time, making Tucker a potential late-round fantasy target should White be sidelined for any stretch. The Titans offered a measured preseason test, giving TB a clear look at its depth behind White and at how the offense might rotate in a regular-season environment.