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.