Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Bucs HC Todd Bowles labeled WR Chris Godwin (neck) a game-time decision for Sunday's meeting with the Panthers. Godwin was added to Thursday's injury report with the neck issue. We'll look for further updates on Godwin but won't get Tampa Bay's inactives until a little after 2:30 pm ET on Sunday. The neck injury adds risk to a guy who only looked like a WR3 anyway.

Update: Godwin did not practice on Friday and is officially listed as questionable.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin was added to Thursday's injury report with a neck and limited in practice. Godwin was on the injury report with a neck back in Week 8 but wound up playing. We'll see what he does on Friday and how he's listed on the final injury report for this weekend's game vs. the Panthers.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. He was able to play through the ankle injury last week and will be ready for this weekend's game vs. the Panthers.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield injured his right ankle on a QB sneak in the first quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Colts. He was able to return and finish out the game, completing 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards, two TDs, and one INT. But Mayfield took six sacks and was clearly missing his usual mobility. Neither Mayfield nor HC Todd Bowles would guarantee afterward that Mayfield will be able to play vs. the Panthers this weekend. “I’ll have to wait until he gets checked out and see how bad it is after the game once he puts it up. That’s going to be the tell-tale sign," Bowles said. We'll look for further updates on Mayfield's injury and track his practice participation this week. QB Kyle Trask would get the start if Mayfield is out.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin again played second fiddle to WR Mike Evans in the Week 12 loss to the Colts. While Evans tallied a big 6-70-2 line on 9 targets, Godwin caught just three of his seven targets for 45 yards. He's now been held under 60 yards in eight of 11 games this season. And he remains stuck on one TD. Godwin now has more weekly PPR finishes of WR40 or worse (5) than top-30 finishes (4). He can't be considered more than a WR3 going forward, especially with three straight negative matchups coming up against the Panthers, Falcons, and Packers.

Bucs RB Rachaad White did not seem at all inhibited by the knee issue that landed him on the injury report ahead of Sunday's game vs. the Colts. He took 15 carries for a season-high 100 yards, highlighted by a 38-yard rip in the fourth quarter. White was quieter than usual in the passing game, catching both of his targets for 10 yards. But White has now totaled 98+ yards in five of his last six games. He gets another plus matchup in Week 13 against the Panthers' 30th-ranked RB defense. White's schedule toughens from that point on, with negative matchups against Atlanta, Jacksonville, and New Orleans between Weeks 14 and 17. But White's passing-game role will keep him comfortably in fantasy-starter range in those games.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield suffered an apparent right knee injury on a QB sneak in the first quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Colts. He's been replaced by QB Kyle Trask. We'll update Mayfield's status when we know more.

Update: Mayfield returned on Tampa Bay's next possession.

Bucs RB Rachaad White (knee) is active for today’s game vs. the Colts. He was added to the injury report on Saturday as a precaution, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, after his knee “locked up” on Friday. That’s a little spooky – but there’s been nothing to suggest that White will be limited today. The Bucs have their usual three RBs active (White, Chase Edmonds, and Sean Tucker), which is further indication that there's no concern with White. He belongs in the vast majority of fantasy lineups against Indianapolis’ 31st-ranked RB defense.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Bucs RB Rachaad White's knee is "fine" and that he will play vs. the Colts today. White was added to the injury report on Saturday "only as a matter of precaution" after his knee "briefly locked up on Friday," according to Schefter. But "there is nothing structurally wrong with White’s knee." We'll continue to keep an eye on White up to and throughout today's game. But he can stay in starting fantasy lineups in this plus matchup against the Colts' 31st-ranked RB defense.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler hears that Bucs RB Rachaad White (knee) is expected to play vs. the Colts on Sunday. White was added to the injury report on Saturday and is listed as questionable. We'll look for further updates on his status and how big an issue that knee might be in Indianapolis.

The Buccaneers on Saturday added RB Rachaad White to the injury report as questionable with a knee issue. White didn’t turn up on any of the week’s practice reports, so this issue must have arisen at some point since Friday’s practice. We’ll obviously need to watch White’s status up until game time against the Colts. If he can’t go, Chase Edmonds looks like the next guy up. He was the only other Bucs RB to play any offensive snaps last week. Edmonds played just 21%, though, and White has dominated backfield touches all season. We’d bet on more of a committee in his absence than Edmonds taking over that role. Edmonds can work as an insurance option, though, if you don’t have a better replacement available

The Buccaneers have officially ruled LB Lavonte David (groin) and CB Jamel Dean (ankle, foot) out for Sunday's game against the Colts. David is the more impactful absence, both for the Tampa defense and IDP lineups. This was the expectation reported earlier this week, though. Rookie Sirvocea Dennis looks like the replacement. LB Devin White (foot) is also questionable for the game. he's expected to be a game-time decision, according to multiple reports. White played through the issue for 100% snap share last week despite following the same practice schedule he did this week: out, out, limited. We'll see about his status Sunday. CB Carlton Davis (hip) is also questionable. He missed Week 10 and then saw his playing time limited a bit (75%) last week but finished this week with a full Friday practice.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Buccaneers LB Lavonte David is "considered a long shot" to play against the Colts this week because of a groin injury. We have removed David from the Week 12 LB rankings and given LB Devin White a tackle boost. We'll have to watch White's status as well, as he missed Wednesday's practice with a foot issue. He started last week the same way, though, and wound up playing every snap. Expect rookie LB SirVocea Dennis to start in David's place.

The Bucs found "no issues" with the right thumb QB Baker Mayfield banged on a helmet in Sunday's win over the Titans, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He will not miss any practice time, and he is set to be ready for Sunday’s game vs. the 49ers," Schefter adds. We'll keep an eye on Mayfield throughout the week, but it doesn't sound like the thumb will be a problem going forward.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield injured his right thumb when he banged it against a helmet in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Titans. Mayfield didn't miss any snaps, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport calls the injury "worth monitoring." Mayfield is scheduled for testing on the thumb on Monday. We'll update his status when we know more.

Buccaneers RB Rachaad White took a short pass for a 43-yard TD in Sunday's win over the Titans. That drove White's fantasy day. That single play accounted for 57.9% of his PPR points. But he also reached 20 carries for the second straight game and claimed 23 of 27 Tampa Bay RB opportunities (85.2%). This workhorse role and White's recent receiving production make him a weekly starter for most fantasy football lineups. Tampa Bay's remaining schedule looks neutral for RB scoring.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin is dealing with an illness but is expected to play vs. the Titans today, the team announced. We'll look for more details on Godwin's status. But, at this point, we're still expecting him to play his usual role.

Update: Godwin is officially active.

Rachaad White's fantasy scoring got a boost from a pair of rushing TDs in last Sunday's loss to the Texans, just his second and third TD runs of the year. But a rise in receiving over the past three weeks has steadied his fantasy contributions. White's 10.5% target share over the first five games has increased to 14.9% over the past three. That has pushed him from 3.2 receptions and 19.6 yards per game over the first span to 5.7 catches and 60.3 yards over the past three. We can't expect White to continue his 100% catch rate of the more recent span. But increased passing-game usage is obviously a big plus -- especially when you consider that it has come during a time that included returning RB Chase Edmonds from IR. We'll certainly keep watching to see if the upturn holds. But it makes White a much easier fantasy start (especially in PPR) than he was earlier this season.

Bucs RB Rachaad White compiled 119 total yards and two TDs in the 39-37 Week 9 loss to the Texans. White turned 20 carries into 73 yards for a subpar 3.7 yards per carry. But he popped in a pair of one-yard rushing scores. And he was effective in the passing game, hauling in all four of his targets for 46 yards. White garnered 24 of Tampa Bay's 33 RB opportunities for a strong 73% share. The rushing has remained mostly inefficient, but White has now racked up 17 catches for 181 yards over his last three games. He's finished as a top-12 PPR RB in all three. White has brutal rushing matchups the next two weeks against the Titans and 49ers, but his passing-game usage should keep him in most fantasy lineups. He gets plus matchups vs. the Colts and Panthers in Weeks 12 and 13.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield was not the best QB on the field in the Week 9 shootout loss to the Texans -- but he played well. Mayfield completed 21 of 30 passes (70%) for 265 yards (8.8 YPA), two TDs, and 0 INTs. He connected with TE Cade Otton for a 14-yard TD with less than a minute to go to give the Bucs a short-lived lead that QB C.J. Stroud would eventually erase. But it was another solid showing from Mayfield in what's been a generally solid season. He's now tossed multiple TDs in four of eight games. Week 10 brings a Titans defense that entered this week ranked eighth in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. But Tennessee sits 25th in pass defense DVOA (vs. second in run defense DVOA). It’s a matchup that’ll have Mayfield on the spot-start radar.