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Barber is likely to see plenty of snaps in Friday's preseason opener versus the Bengals, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
After bucking the odds to make the roster a summer ago, Barber comes into the preseason opener as the likely favorite to secure a fourth running back spot if the Bucs opt to keep that many at the position to open the season. The fact that Doug Martin (suspension) will sit out the first three contests of the campaign increases the odds of the team stockpiling ball carriers, but the undrafted Barber will also need to prove his mettle on special teams again in order to force the coaching staff's hand. Barber led the Bucs with 39 carries in the 2016 preseason, and although he won't necessarily see that type of workload this year, he could have a sizable role Friday with the starters slated to only play one quarter.
