No NFL team ever has the luxury of making it through an entire season with just their starters seeing the field.

Between injuries, benchings, and simple rotations, every team will count on its non-starters to be the "next man up" and will be expected to play up to the same standard. Some will rise to the challenge. Other won't.  It is imperative to have depth that can be trusted to play a significant number of snaps or start for an extended period, if necessary.

If a team doesn't, one injury could flush its entire season down the drain.

So, who are the most valuable and trustworthy backups in the league?

Bill Barnwell of ESPN picked his NFL All-Backup Team, a 53-man roster composed entirely of players who come off the bench for their respective teams.

Two Tampa Bay Buccaneers were selected for Barnwell's team, and both will be vital pieces for a team trying to make it back to the playoffs after last season's terrible collapse.

Barnwell's goal was to create the best 53-man roster possible using only reserves. He was inspired by the tremendous impact then-backups like David Tyree, Malcolm Butler, and Nick Foles had on their teams' Super Bowl victories.

Both Bucs named to the squad are newcomers who were signed this offseason in free agency: running back Kenneth Gainwell and edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad.

Both were among the most productive players at their positions last season, and Barnwell anticipates them being able to continue their success in Tampa.

"One of 2025's most productive backs on a per-touch basis, Gainwell averaged 4.7 yards per carry and caught 73 passes as an outlet for Aaron Rodgers. He was sixth in the NFL in success rate (47.4%) among RBs with 100 or more carries, while his explosive play rate (9.6%) was right around league average. He is another back perfectly suited for a rotational role, and he'll compete with Dowdle to be our RB1.

"Muhammad had the rare age-30 breakout, racking up 11 sacks and 20 knockdowns across from Aidan Hutchinson for the Lions. Both Detroit and the rest of the NFL didn't take the breakout seriously, as Muhammad was only able to land a one-year deal for $4 million in free agency from the Bucs, who then used a first-round pick on another edge rusher in Rueben Bain Jr. I'm not counting on another 11-sack season, but Muhammad will give us some honest snaps as part of our edge rotation."

Barnwell says Gainwell, who came to Tampa from the Pittsburgh Steelers, will compete with the RB who replaced him in Pittsburgh, Rico Dowdle, to be his team's top back.

Muhammad, as Barnwell notes, will be an important part of the team's pass-rushing rotation after an 11-sack season for the Detroit Lions a year ago.

While Gainwell and Muhammad may officially be backups for the Bucs, they both bring so much more to the table than your average reserve.

Gainwell was brought in to form an electric backfield duo with Bucky Irving. Both are versatile backs who are dangerous weapons both as runners and receivers. After Irving's sophomore campaign was marred by injury last season, it would not be a surprise to see Tampa use its two backs in a close to 50/50 split in 2026.

Muhammad, meanwhile, had a breakout season for the Lions last year. His 11 sacks finally gave the Lions a capable pass-rusher opposite Hutchinson, but Muhammad's limitations against the run played a part in Detroit allowing him to walk in free agency.

Now in Tampa, Muhammad will likely be used in obvious passing situations, as he was one of the league's premier sack artists in 2025. 

Tampa did well to bring two of the NFL's most productive free agents to town. With Gainwell and Muhammad, the Bucs will have two of the very best backups in the league in 2026.

Both will likely have major roles with their new team and can help the Bucs return to the top of the NFC South.

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