Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Bucs WR Julio Jones (knee) is not expected to play vs. the Bengals later today, although a final decision might not come until pregame warmups, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Jones obviously shouldn't be in fantasy lineups. Jones' absence figures to leave Russell Gage as Tampa’s #3 WR, but he’d be a desperation fantasy play.

The Buccaneers might get safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards back Sunday against the Bengals. Both are questionable after missing the past 2 games. Edwards (hamstring) put in full practices Thursday and Friday. Winfield (ankle) remained limited all 3 days. We'll see about their statuses Sunday. Tampa Bay ruled DT Vita Vea (calf), CB Jamel Dean (toe) and EDGE Carl Nassib (pectoral) out for the game. CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (quad) is questionable after putting in full practices every day. EDGE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (hip) is also questionable after finishing the week with full participation Friday. We'll update all questionable defenders Sunday.

Bucs WR Julio Jones (knee) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Bengals. He only got in a limited practice on Friday. Clearly not at 100%, Jones shouldn’t be in your Week 15 fantasy plans.

SI’s Albert Breer believes Bucs QB Tom Brady is unlikely to return to Tampa Bay next season. While Breer doesn’t shut the door on a return to Tampa, note that Brady will enter free agency in a few months. The 45-year-old has shown signs of decline this year. Through 13 games, he’s posted career-lows in YPA (6.2) and TD rate (2.9%). He’s currently the QB13 in fantasy thanks in large part to a league-leading 579 attempts. See where he sits in our Week 15 rankings.

Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) and S Mike Edwards (hamstring) are doubtful for Sunday's game against the 49ers. Both guys missed Monday night's game against the Saints as well, leaving Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan as the starters.

Bucs QB Tom Brady completed 36 of 54 passes for 281 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT in a comeback win over New Orleans. Brady was on his way to a true dud until late in the 4th, when both scores surfaced. He hit Cade Otton — and later Rachaad White — to seal the comeback victory. Volume continues to hold up Brady, who now leads the league with 524 attempts. He’ll be more of a QB2 this week against San Francisco.

The Rams have claimed QB Baker Mayfield off waivers. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that he's expected to fly to L.A. today and "could play" Thursday night against the Raiders. We'll give Schefter benefit of the doubt here and assume that he's saying Mayfield could be on the active roster for that game. We'd be absolutely shocked if the Rams started Mayfield 2 days after claiming him -- especially given how poorly Mayfield played with the Panthers this season. Taking a shot on the former #1 overall pick certainly makes sense for L.A., which has likely lost QB Matthew Stafford for the season. QB John Wolford is also dealing with a neck issue that kept him out of practice Monday. We'd bet on Mayfield seeing the field at some point. The claim means the Rams must pay the remaining $1.35 million on Mayfield's contract, taking that off the books for the Panthers.

Bucs WR Russell Gage (hamstring) is active for tonight's game vs. the Saints. It's his 1st action since Week 7. Gage averaged an underwhelming 5.7 targets, 4.1 catches and 33 yards over the first 7 games of the season. We're expecting him to operate as Tampa's #4 WR tonight behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Julio Jones.

The Buccaneers have activated DB Logan Ryan from IR. He hasn't played since Week 4 because of a foot injury, and was losing playing time when last we saw him. But the veteran looks like he'll have to start Monday night's game against the Saints. Tampa Bay's starting safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards are both doubtful. That likely leaves Ryan and Keanu Neal as starters in a secondary that figures to be more vulnerable deep.

The Panthers are waiving QB Baker Mayfield, according to multiple reports. That makes him available to the whole league but subject to the waivers process before he can hit the open market. We'll see whether teams put in a claim, which would lock the "winning" team into paying his remaining salary. The timing could be perfect for Mayfield to make his way to the 49ers, who just lost their 2nd starting QB of the year when Jimmy Garoppolo broke his left foot Sunday. Of course, the way Mayfield performed in Carolina this season wouldn't be an upgrade over the way #3 QB Brock Purdy played Sunday against the Dolphins. San Francisco has also already re-signed veteran journeyman Josh Johnson.

Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) and S Mike Edwards (hamstring) are doubtful for Monday night's game against the Saints. That means Tampa Bay will almost certainly miss its top 2 safeties for the game. Keanu Neal and undrafted rookie Nolan Turner are the only other healthy safeties on the active roster. The Bucs could still activate veteran DB Logan Ryan (foot) from IR ahead of the game. Neal has moved up our Week 13 IDP rankings.

Bucs WR Russell Gage (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game vs. the Saints. He was a full-go in Saturday's practice, so he seemingly has a good chance to return for this one. Gage has been out since Week 7 and shouldn't be in your fantasy plans. But his return adds downside to WR Julio Jones' fantasy profile.

Bucs WR Russell Gage (hamstring) was limited in Thursday's practice. We'll see if he can make it back for Monday night's game vs. the Saints, which would be his first action since Week 7. Gage won't be a bankable fantasy play if he does suit up against New Orleans.

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.

The Buccaneers leaned back toward the pass in Sunday's OT loss at Cleveland, dropping back on 66.7% of offensive snaps. QB Tom Brady completed a decent 67.4% of his throws but tallied just 246 yards (5.7 yards per attempt). He did connect with WR Chris Godwin and FB Ko Kieft for TDs, but Godwin and RB Rachaad White were the only Bucs to catch more than 3 passes. WR Mike Evans struggled, catching just 2 of his 9 targets. Tampa gets a rematch with the Saints next. Brady threw for just 188 yards against them back in Week 2, as his team totaled a season-low 260 yards.

Buccaneers RB Rachaad White caught all 9 of his targets for 45 yards in Sunday's OT loss at Cleveland. He added 64 rushing yards on 14 carries, controlling the backfield work with Leonard Fournette (hip) out. Ke'Shawn Vaughn claimed the only other 4 RB carries, and no other Bucs RB drew a target. The team managed just 2 offensive TDs, on passes to Chris Godwin and Ko Kieft. We'll see about Fournette's status for Week 13.

Bucs WR Russell Gage (hamstring) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Browns. He remained sidelined all week and has no timetable for return. Julio Jones will continue to operate as Tampa’s #3 WR behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Buccaneers RB Rachaad White got his 1st career start and wound up with season-high playing time in the last game. And the 2nd part wasn't just about Leonard Fournette leaving early with a hip issue. “I think it was excellent to see him go out there and play an extended amount of snaps,” OC Byron Leftwich said Thursday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I don’t know if he was ready for that many earlier. We saw the gifts that he had early but … we’re here with him every day, so we knew we had to get him to the point he could handle that type of load. He’s there now." White's playing time and touch count (22 carries vs. Seattle) probably won't be quite so high with Fournette back -- he has put in limited practices this week -- but expect enough of a role to put White in flex contention for many fantasy football teams.

Broncos RB Chase Edmonds (ankle) was placed on IR. He'll miss at least the next 4 weeks with his high-ankle sprain and can be dropped from redraft rosters.

Panthers HC Steve Wilks said Monday he hasn't decided yet who will start at QB for Sunday's game against the Broncos. he added that he'll make the decision ahead of Wednesday's practice. Baker Mayfield stunk (again) in the Week 11 loss to Baltimore. P.J. Walker is coming off a groin injury that kept him out of that game. Sam Darnold has yet to play this year after opening the season on IR. This decision might not really matter for fantasy football purposes outside of determining whether Mayfield will stick around and continue to silence WR D.J. Moore.