The Buccaneers have reached a one-year, $8.5 million deal with QB Baker Mayfield, according to multiple reports. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport had previously talked about the Bucs bringing in Mayfield to compete with former second-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting job. We'd bet on Mayfield winning that competition. But the contract shows that they're not banking on him as a starter. Taylor Heinicke, for example, got a two-year contract worth up to $10 million a year from the Falcons. Mayfield played his way out of Carolina after his Cleveland exit. He gained some praise for the brief Rams stint but compiled just 6.6 yards per pass attempt and a 3.1% TD rate there. Mayfield is far from a lock for any meaningful production going forward. But he's interesting as a QB3 pick late in best ball drafts right now, especially when paired with Tampa Bay WRs Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, or Russell Gage. Gage has been going especially late. So you can potentially pair him with Mayfield using just your final two picks. Not much risk at that point.
The Bucs are hiring Dave Canales as their new OC. The 41-year-old has spent the past 13 seasons working under Pete Carroll, first at USC and then with Seattle. Canales most recently served as Seahawks QBs coach, helping QB Geno Smith to a career year. But Canales' only experience as an offensive coordinator came at Carson High School in California in 2004 and 2005. He's a total wild card as we start to project what this Bucs offense will look like in 2023. We're also, of course, still waiting to see what Tampa does at QB. Kyle Trask is the only QB currently on the roster.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin hauled 10 of 13 targets for 85 yards in Monday's Wild Card loss vs. the Cowboys. Godwin is 1 of 3 Bucs' WRs who received double-digit targets in this contest. WR Julio Jones tallied 7 catches on 11 targets for 77 yards and a TD, and WR Mike Evans roped in 6 of 11 targets for 74 yards of his own. These are pretty eye-popping numbers on the surface, but it's not nearly as impressive considering QB Tom Brady was forced to throw the ball 66 times in the loss. It's difficult at this time to look ahead to the 2023 NFL season for these wideouts given Brady's uncertain future. We'll have a better idea of what to expect from Godwin and Evans once we learn who the Bucs QB is next season.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles plans to play his starters, including QB Tom Brady, in Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Falcons, despite the Bucs being locked into the NFC's #4 seed. "We can get better at a lot of things, so right now, we plan on playing [Brady]," Bowles said Monday. "We'll see how the week goes going forward, but we can get better at a lot of things that we need to work on, and we don't need our foot off the gas." Bowles added that he'll consider pulling starters in the 2nd half. We'd be surprised if Brady played more than a half and don't expect RB Leonard Fournette or WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to play the entire game, either.
Before Sunday, Buccaneers WR Mike Evans hadn't scored a TD since Week 4. Turns out he was just saving them all up for championship week of the fantasy football playoffs. Evans racked up 10 catches for 207 yards and all 3 of Tampa Bay's TDs in the playoff-clinching win over the Panthers. Evans scored from 30, 57 and 63 yards out while setting season highs in all 3 of the aforementioned offensive categories. His performance overshadowed WR Chris Godwin's highly efficient performance: 9-120 on 9 targets. The Buccaneers close out the regular season at Atlanta but might not have much to play for in that one. We'll assess their situation in finalizing our Week 18 fantasy football rankings.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin hauled in all 8 of his targets for 83 yards and a score in Sunday's loss vs. the Bengals. While Godwin and company did not emerge victorious, the Bucs' WR corps had three players reach double-digit PPR points. Mike Evans posted a respectable 83 yards, bringing in only 5 of his 10 receptions, and Russell Gage exploded with a pair of TDs to go along with 8 catches and 59 yards. While it's difficult to tell week-to-week if Gage can be trusted, managers advancing in the fantasy playoffs can feel confident in both Godwin and Evans against the Cardinals in Week 16 despite the difficult matchup. Both are WR1 options vs. the Cardinals.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin caught 12 balls for 110 yards and a TD in Sunday's OT loss at Cleveland. Godwin's 13 targets led the team by 4, with RB Rachaad White the only other Buc to catch more than 3 balls. WR Mike Evans tied White for 2nd on the team with 9 targets but caught only 2 of them (for 31 yards). FB Ko Kieft snagged QB Tom Brady's other TD throw on his lone target.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin led the team with 8 targets, 6 catches and 71 yards in Sunday morning's win over the Seahawks. And much to the relief of fantasy football managers everywhere, he finally found the end zone for the 1st time this season. Mike Evans followed with a mediocre stat line on a limited passing day for the Bucs, catching 5 balls for 54 yards among 6 targets. WR Julio Jones claimed the team's other TD catch among 3 receptions for 53 yards.
Bucs WR Russell Gage (hamstring) did not make the trip to Germany and is out for Sunday morning's game vs. the Seahawks. Scotty Miller finished 3rd among Bucs WRs with a 52% route rate last week; Julio Jones was 4th at 35%. Chris Godwin and Mike Evans remain the only bankable fantasy plays in this WR corps.
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady went 36-of-58 passing in Sunday's win over the Rams. He tallied 280 yards and 1 TD, but that came out to just 4.8 yards per attempt. And his lone TD came with just seconds remaining to give Tampa Bay the victory. TE Cade Otton caught that score and totaled 5-68-1 receiving on 6 targets. WR Mike Evans led the team with 11 targets but managed just 5 catches and 40 yards. WR Chris Godwin followed with 10 looks but tallied only 36 yards on his 7 receptions. WR Scotty Miller tied Godwin for the reception lead and collected 53 yards. His lone missed target was a late-game drop when an end-zone pass hit his facemask. Tampa Bay heads to Germany next Sunday morning to face a hot Seahawks defense.
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady threw for just 243 yards and 1 TD on 25-of-40 passing in Sunday's loss to the Steelers. It was a disappointing outing vs. a Pittsburgh defense that arrived just 24th in Football Outsiders' pass-defense DVOA. On top of that, The Steelers were missing 3 corners and S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Chris Godwin led the team with a 6-95 receiving line on 12 targets, double his nearest teammate. RB Leonard Fournette was the only other Buc with more than 4 targets. WR Mike Evans posted a 4-42 receiving line on his 4 targets. Tampa Bay visits the Panthers in Week 7, before home dates with the Ravens, Rams and Seahawks.
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