Brianna Dix: Rachaad White
I am going to go with running back Rachaad White this week. Going up to the Lions' Den and facing a physical Dan Campbell squad, the Bucs need to match that physicality and do so with White. With an offense that has been decimated by injuries, White has played a pivotal role in igniting both the run and pass game. In Week Six against the 49ers, White tallied a season-high 86 yards from scrimmage in the form of 17 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, while adding three receptions for 21 yards. With his touchdown, White surpassed Cadillac Williams for the sixth-most and tied Errict Rhett for the fifth-most touchdowns from scrimmage by a running back in franchise history. He plowed through the A-gap on a two-yard rush to give Tampa Bay a 7-0 lead against the Niners.
White bolstered the screen game with his durability as a pass-catcher and skills in the open field. He powered his way forward for extra yardage with rare contact balance and has the capability of running routes out of the slot. In 2025, he has played a key role in pass protection, routinely picking up free rushers and blitzers to provide Baker Mayfield with additional time to get the ball off. With Aidan Hutchinson across the line this week, he may be asked to help on chips, but I am predicting he has a big game, whether on checkdowns that turn into big gains, or runs that wear the defense down at Ford Field. Scott, who are you going with?
Scott Smith: Cade Otton
After a slow start to the season statistically for Cade Otton, largely because he was asked to do a lot of inline blocking to help an offensive line beset by injuries, the Buccaneers insisted that they wanted to get the fourth-year tight end more involved in the passing attack. And in the last two weeks, they have done exactly that, as Otton caught nine passes for 132 yards in wins over Seattle and San Francisco. I predict that trend continues in an upward direction this week.
Now, there may be a few reasons why you, the reader, might disagree. One, as Bri just noted, Aidan Hutchinson – he of the 4.5 sacks against the Bucs in Week Two last year – is looming on the other side of the line. That might prompt the Bucs to keep Otton in to block more often, or at least to chip Hutchinson or his fellow edge rusher before his route. Two, it looks like the Bucs may be getting Mike Evans back in the mix this week, and Baker Mayfield is surely going to want to get him the ball.
However, I actually think both of those situations could work in favor of Otton catching passes. After Emeka Egbuka went out with a hamstring injury last week, the Buccaneers started using more two-TE personnel packages, with Payne Durham joining Otton on the field. When both of those guys start out on the end of the line, I think that gives the Bucs more opportunities to spring Otton out into a route because Durham will still be there providing blocking help. And if Evans plays he's sure to draw a lot of attention from the Lions' depleted secondary, opening up more of the field for the Bucs' other pass-catchers. Including Otton.
Finally, the Lions will be without talented safety Brian Branch on Monday night because he will be serving a one-game suspension for starting a fight after the Lions' Week Six loss in Kansas City. Branch likely would have been heavily involved in covering the Bucs' tight ends, but now he's unavailable. That will only help Otton, who is going to help me get out of this Performance Preview free fall that is becoming embarrassing!