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Wide receiver Chris Godwin will sit out Week 8’s game against the Atlanta Falcons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Evans, another receiver, will probably need a miracle to play. Whether or not Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving will also miss time is the current mystery.

Irving skipped practice on Thursday for the second day in a row. Also, he hurt his toe on Wednesday, so he didn’t participate in practice. The likelihood that Irving will sit out Sunday’s game against the Falcons is rising since he has missed yet another session.

Greg Auman of FOX Sports pointed out that the Buccaneers have Sean Tucker and Rachaad White, two additional competent running backs. Last season, White gained 990 yards on the ground, which was nearly enough to reach 1,000 yards. With 64 receptions for 549 yards and 1,539 yards from scrimmage in 2023, White was quite the playmaker.

However, White’s running efficiency is lacking. Last year, he gained an average of 3.6 yards per carry; thus far in 2024, he has averaging 3.7 yards per rush.

Running back Kyrie Irving has averaged 5.2 yards per game in the NFL so far. For the second year in a row with the Buccaneers, Tucker has been incredibly efficient on the ground, averaging 8.2 yards per rush. However, Tucker’s sample size is modest; he has attempted just 21 passes in seven games played so far in 2024. In a game against the New Orleans Saints, Tucker ran for 136 yards and a score on 14 of his 21 carries.

But if Irving is out for Week 8, White and Tucker will get additional opportunities to play.

Four Buccaneers, including Irving, skipped Wednesday’s practice entirely. Evans and safety Tykee Smith were two of the other players who did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Due to his hamstring issue, Evans will likely miss a few more weeks of action. Smith is on the mend after suffering a concussion.

The finish line Although he returned to the field to a lesser extent on Thursday, Payne Durham likewise skipped practice on Wednesday.

Irving and the other injured Buccaneers players will have more specific information in Friday’s injury report. The current trajectory, though, makes it unlikely that the rookie running back will play against the Falcons in Week 8. Irving has rushed for 351 yards and three touchdowns so far this season, leading the Buccaneers.