Ke'Shawn Vaughn

Vaughn saw a slight uptick in opportunity during his second season in 2021, logging 36 carries for 180 yards and the first two rushing touchdowns of his career. The Vanderbilt product was featured prominently in the wild-card win over the Eagles with Leonard Fournette sidelined due to a hamstring injury, recording a career-high 17 carries that he parlayed into 53 yards and a touchdown. When Ronald Jones was allowed to depart in free agency this offseason, it appeared Vaughn was set to take on primary complementary back duties behind the re-signed Fournette, but the investment of a third-round pick in Rachaad White, who generated 1,462 total yards and 16 touchdowns during his final season at Arizona State, in April's draft throws that into question.

Vaughn entered his rookie year with some fanfare after ending his college career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons on the ground and 24 total touchdowns in those campaigns. However, the Buccaneers signed Leonard Fournette just before Week 1, and he joined Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy in the backfield, relegating Vaughn to minimal work or inactive status from week to week. Vaughn ultimately saw action in 10 regular-season games, with the highlight a 15-carry, 62-yard effort Week 16. On paper, he faces a similar challenge for playing time to open this season. McCoy has been swapped out for a younger, more viable alternative in Giovani Bernard, while Fournette and Jones will battle for the early-down role. Consequently, Vaughn may need an injury to one of the trio to have an impact early on, but it's also possible he outplays Bernard in the offseason to the point he vaults over the veteran.

A third-round pick out of Vanderbilt, Vaughn has the tools to be an effective early down option for the Buccaneers if he gets the chance. Solidly built at 5-9, 214, Vaughn runs with power and surprising speed in the open field thanks to his background as a sprinter in high school, and he has the balance to survive initial contact. He lacks elusiveness, however, and while he's a willing blocker, his receiving skills need some work - limitations that could keep him on the sideline for passing downs and give him fewer chances to make use of his 4.51 speed. Paired with Ronald Jones in the Tampa Bay backfield, Vaughn could thrive if defenses are forced to back off and respect the new Tom Brady-led passing attack, but Jones has the advantage of being in his second year under coach Bruce Arians. There's also the matter of a backfield committee potentially including a third player, with seventh-round rookie Raymond Calais competing for a role on passing downs, while LeSean McCoy was brought in right before the start of training camp. Making the situation even murkier for Vaughn's outlook was the addition of Leonard Fournette on Sept. 3, a development that threatens Vaughn's potential touch share even further and arguably places him fourth in the early-down-back pecking order behind Jones, McCoy and Fournette to open the 2020 season.