Tampa Bay’s backfield is in good hands, especially in terms of pass catching. Both Rachaad White and Bucky Irving are unusually good as receivers out of the backfield.
Irving last year caught 47 passes out of 52 attempts. That’s just over 90 percent – the best ever for a rookie with at least 40 targets. (The NFL’s target data goes back to 1992).
White (pictured) was almost as proficient as Irving last year, catching 51 of 57 passes, and he was even better last year. The Bucs, it seems, are doing something right in drawing up those plays.
That’s further confirmed if we go back an additional season, looking at 2022. Both White and Leonard Fournette (who isn’t a great pass catcher) finished in the upper 80s. White that year had the best rookie season (for catch percentage) until Irving came along.
So this is a notable part of the grades for Tampa Bay’s running backs. The Bucs last year ranked 2nd in all of the major receiving categories for running backs – catches, yards and touchdowns.
The Bucs have a new offensive coordinator coming in this year, 34-year-old Josh Grizzard. That’s a concern; maybe he’s not as effective at coaching up and calling those plays.
But of those last three seasons (2022-24) the Bucs had three different offensive coordinators, and none of them caused the offense to slide off the rails.
The chart below shows all running backs in the 32-team era who’ve seen at least 50 targets and caught at least 85 percent of the passes thrown their way. Tampa Bay players in bold; other active players tagged with black dots.
| RUNNNING BACKS CATCHING 85-PLUS PERCENT (2002-24) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Yards | Avg | TD | Pct |
| 2010 | Felix Jones, Dall. | 52 | 48 | 450 | 9.4 | 1 | 92.3% |
| 2013 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 84 | 77 | 513 | 6.7 | 3 | 91.7% |
| 2023 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 70 | 64 | 549 | 8.6 | 3 | 91.4% |
| 2024 | Bucky Irving, T.B. | 52 | 47 | 392 | 8.3 | 0 | 90.4% |
| 2012 | Jacquizz Rodgers, Atl. | 59 | 53 | 402 | 7.6 | 1 | 89.8% |
| 2024 | • De'Von Achane, Mia. | 87 | 78 | 592 | 7.6 | 6 | 89.7% |
| 2024 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 57 | 51 | 393 | 7.7 | 6 | 89.5% |
| 2023 | • Samaje Perine, Den. | 56 | 50 | 455 | 9.1 | 0 | 89.3% |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 64 | 57 | 416 | 7.3 | 0 | 89.1% |
| 2018 | Dion Lewis, Ten. | 67 | 59 | 400 | 6.8 | 1 | 88.1% |
| 2005 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 50 | 44 | 337 | 7.7 | 1 | 88.0% |
| 2022 | Leonard Fournette, T.B. | 83 | 73 | 523 | 7.2 | 3 | 88.0% |
| 2016 | LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 57 | 50 | 356 | 7.1 | 1 | 87.7% |
| 2002 | Curtis Martin, NYJ | 56 | 49 | 362 | 7.4 | 0 | 87.5% |
| 2023 | • Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 86 | 75 | 466 | 6.2 | 1 | 87.2% |
| 2024 | • Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 53 | 46 | 299 | 6.5 | 1 | 86.8% |
| 2014 | Benny Cunningham, St.L. | 52 | 45 | 352 | 7.8 | 1 | 86.5% |
| 2002 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 81 | 70 | 672 | 9.6 | 3 | 86.4% |
| 2013 | Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 88 | 76 | 605 | 8.0 | 6 | 86.4% |
| 2018 | • Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 124 | 107 | 867 | 8.1 | 6 | 86.3% |
| 2010 | Jason Snelling, Atl. | 51 | 44 | 303 | 6.9 | 3 | 86.3% |
| 2022 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 58 | 50 | 290 | 5.8 | 2 | 86.2% |
| 2019 | • Royce Freeman, Den. | 50 | 43 | 256 | 6.0 | 1 | 86.0% |
| 2010 | Brandon Jackson, G.B. | 50 | 43 | 342 | 8.0 | 1 | 86.0% |
| 2002 | Fred Taylor, Jac. | 57 | 49 | 408 | 8.3 | 0 | 86.0% |
| 2010 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 91 | 78 | 592 | 7.6 | 2 | 85.7% |
| 2024 | • James Conner, Ari. | 55 | 47 | 414 | 8.8 | 1 | 85.5% |
| 2008 | Marion Barber, Dall. | 61 | 52 | 417 | 8.0 | 2 | 85.2% |
| 2019 | • Austin Ekeler, LAC | 108 | 92 | 993 | 10.8 | 8 | 85.2% |
| 2004 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 60 | 51 | 483 | 9.5 | 0 | 85.0% |
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan
