Who Should I Start? Sean Tucker or Phil Mafah

Saturday, May 30, 5:37 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker led the team with seven rushing touchdowns in 2025, and he could see meaningful goal-line work once more in his fourth professional season. Presumed starter Bucky Irving is still recovering from the shoulder injury that cost him seven games and impacted his efficiency in 2025. Irving returned to the field in Week 12, still clearly hampered by the injury, and Tucker handled almost 90% of the Buccaneers' carries from within the five-yard line from that point forward. Irving's recovery timeline has been vague, but if the team opts to keep him fresh by limiting him to mostly between-the-20s work, Tucker would be the most likely benefactor over the 5'9", 200-pound Kenneth Gainwell. Tucker went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft due to a congenital heart condition, but whenever he's seen the field, he's looked the part of an NFL running back, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB75, he represents overlooked value if he's able to hold onto the dedicated goal-line role in what should again be a high-scoring Buccaneers offense.