Cade

Otton

What seemed like it could maybe be a pop-up performance for Otton in Emeka Egbuka’s (concussion, foot) absence instead turned into a one-target day as the Bucs rode their rushing attack and Panthers turnovers to a dominant road W. Otton typically comes with a 3-4 catch floor, but the same has been true of his “ceiling” this season. He will continue to struggle to get into the mix ahead of Week 8 against the Falcons.

Otton had caught between three and five passes in every game this year until today, so this goes down as his first true bust of the season. On the other hand, he has peaked at five catches and 56 yards with zero touchdowns thus far, so the ceiling has been nonexistent. Otton could increase his production once Baker Mayfield is back in the lineup, but it doesn’t look like that will happen next week. He is barely in the TE2 conversation as long as Jalon Daniels remains under center.

Otton’s 37 yards were somehow enough to lead Tampa Bay, though that largely speaks to the ineffective nature of the team’s passing attack. With Jalon Daniels under center, there simply wasn’t much production to go around. He was intercepted twice and threw for just 148 yards. With Daniels likely to make his second start of the year on Week 5, Otton is a low-end TE2 for his upcoming matchup with Dallas.

As usual, Otton led the Bucs in pass routes and was second on the team in targets behind Emeka Egbuka. Most of Otton’s production came on a 37-yard catch in the first half. Baker Mayfield narrowly missed the tight end for another long gain later in the contest. Otton’s route involvement should keep him in deep league lineups next week against the Packers, unless Mayfield (hand) is sidelined.

Otton led the Bucs in targets while running nearly every route. This has been Otton’s role for quite some time. You know what you’re getting if you use Otton in fantasy lineups: He’s something of a PPR cheat code when the Bucs hit a negative game script. He’ll be a deep league option in Week 3 against the Vikings.

This is about a standard Otton statline, though this one came on a day where Baker Mayfield attempted fewer than 30 passes. With Jalen McMillan sidelined, Otton probably would have exceeded five catches had the Bucs not kept killing drives with sacks and turnovers, alas. Otton is always good for a few PPR points on the back end of the TE2 ranks, but that appears to be his ceiling heading in to his age-27 campaign.

This is the kind of thing we like to hear for QB Baker Mayfield and his pass catchers. Robinson did not feature play action during his two seasons as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, nor did former Buccaneers OC Josh Grizzard, so Otton’s comments are reassuring. Per PFF, NFL offenses averaged 7.76 yards per pass play with play action and just 6.72 without it. Upping the play action rate should help the Buccaneers run a more efficient offense in 2026.

Delp last week made pre-draft visits with the Vikings, Patriots, and Ravens. Delp at Georgia was a little-used tight end who totaled 65 receptions for 793 yards and seven touchdowns over his final three collegiate seasons. He was targeted on a meager 13 percent of his pass routes over those three years. Delp, 23, profiles as a rotational tight end to start his NFL career, though he has some upside if he lands in the right spot. In LA he would compete with Oronde Gadsden II for tight end snaps and routes, and in Tampa he would compete with Cade Otton, who recently re-signed with the Bucs.

Otton, 26, will remain with the Bucs for the foreseeable future on a new deal that guarantees him $20 million. The former fourth-round pick has gone for 500-plus yards in each of his last two seasons, and caught 59 passes for 572 passes and one touchdown last season. A versatile tight end who can play in line, out wide, and in the slot, Otton has finished second in receptions each of the last two seasons for the Buccaneers. He’ll be a decent plug-and-play tight end for the upcoming fantasy season but is unlikely to have consistent TE1 value.

Calling Otton the top target for Tampa Bay in the passing game is quite the understatement; as no other receiver had 40 yards. The 26-year-old tight end not only had a touchdown, but picked up what was essentially a game-clinching first down late in the game on a connection with Baker Mayfield. Amazingly it was the first touchdown of the season for Otton, but outside of those lack of scores it was a solid season for the fourth-year player. Otton will head to free agency after the season. He could get a chance to find the end zone again in the playoffs, but they’ll need the Saints to upset the Falcons.