When is Bucky Irving coming back? Injury update, return timeline for Buccaneers RB

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When is Bucky Irving coming back? Injury update, return timeline for Buccaneers RB image

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will once again be without a key cog in their offense, as running back Bucky Irving remains sidelined for Week 10.

Irving suffered foot and shoulder injuries all the way back in Week 4, although it is believed that the shoulder injury is the more serious issue.

Despite not being placed on injured reserve, which requires a four-game absence, Irving has now missed five games after being ruled out for Week 10.

That would seem to indicate the injury is worse than initially feared, or he suffered a setback along the way in his recovery.

Here's what we know about Irving's status moving forward.

When is Bucky Irving coming back?

There is just no definitive answer to this question right now.

Again, it's clear the Bucs assumed he'd miss three games, at most, after not placing Irving on injured reserve. Initial reporting suggested Irving would miss at least two weeks.

We would suspect the injury is worse than initially believed, or he might have had a setback while working his way back from the injury.

Whatever the case may be, Irving has not practiced at all since suffering the injury, and that continued this week before he was ruled out on Friday.

Based on that, Irving is anything but guaranteed to make his return in Week 11 and it's anyone's guess when he'll be back.

The Bucs have primarily utilized Rachaad White in Irving's absence, but Sean Tucker got a season-high 12 carries last week, so we might see him used more moving forward. Neither back has been particularly effective.

Until we see a more consistent workload for Tucker while White is in the lineup, the latter remains the better fantasy football play.

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