Tampa Bay

Buccaneers

The Buccaneers should have their RB3 on hand against the Browns this weekend, though Tucker is not expected to contribute in a fantasy-relevant manner. He is just a deep-league bench stash at this time.

McMillan missed Week 1 due to a knee issue, despite getting in three limited practices during the week. He was listed as doubtful and the team ruled him out ahead of kickoff. It seems like the team was taking a cautious approach with his return from the training camp injury, and he should be good for Week 2. McMillan is expected to take rookie Ted Hurst’s spot in the lineup at X. Hurst managed just three catches for 36 yards in the role. In his first game of the season, McMillan will be buried in the WR5 ranks for fantasy purposes.

X-Rays and MRIs were negative. It sounds like Parrish will be week-to-week going forward assuming he is not placed on IR at some point this week. From an outsider’s perspective, “back sprain” isn’t something you really love to hear.

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.

Hurst’s first NFL reception was a sure-handed grab against tight coverage as he went to the ground. Pro Football Focus charted Hurst as playing 43-of-57 snaps. That’s an extremely strong mark for a rookie third-rounder, though it will only last as long as Jalen McMillan is on the shelf with his knee injury. The Bucs declined to formally rule McMillan out until this morning, so there is a chance he is back for Week 2 against the Browns. For now, Hurst remains waiver wire fodder in 12-team leagues.

Shockingly, Gainwell got out-targeted 7-1 by Bucky Irving, though Pro Football Focus did chart Irving’s snaps advantage at a far more modest 35-26. Gainwell was out there. He simply wasn’t a focal point when it came to getting the ball. It was a bizarre contest with sacks and fumbles derailing the Bucs’ offense, but we would have thought this kind of comeback game script would have led to far more Gainwell receptions. Maybe it was just a fluke, but Irving is a safe RB2 heading into Week 2 while Gainwell is now a more uncertain FLEX.

With sacks and turnovers short-circuiting the Bucs’ offense, Godwin and company were limited to 52 total plays. Godwin was out-targeted 6-4 by Emeka Egbuka, but was on the field for 49-of-57 snaps in Jalen McMillan’s absence. Not that we would expect McMillan to cut into Godwin’s playing time upon his return. One of Godwin’s grabs produced a vicious stiff arm. He’s looking like a legitimate WR3 heading into Week 2 against the Browns.

Bizarrely, Egbuka was not targeted after the break in a game the Bucs trailed 24-10 at the half and 27-10 early in the third. He nevertheless led the Bucs’ wideouts and tight ends in looks, though Bucky Irving led the team with seven. The Bucs were all out of sorts thanks to four lost fumbles, setting up short fields for the Bengals and limiting the Bucs’ overall play volume. The good news is, Egbuka looked healthy and springy. The downtrodden Browns are on tap for Week 2.

Irving’s eight carries look bad on paper, but they were a function of the Bucs falling behind 21-3 midway through the second quarter thanks to a deluge of turnovers. That includes a lost Irving fumble where he entered a scrum one-handing the ball. Not good, though he was not punished for the mistake. He ended up tying a career high with his seven receptions, with supposed pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell catching the ball only one time. Nothing went the way the Bucs drew it up this afternoon, so we would not count on that usage simply carrying over to Week 2, but it is certainly a good start from a usage perspective for those who took the plunge on Irving as their RB2. It is worth nothing that PFF charted Irving as out-snapping Gainwell just 35-26. There’s a long way to go here, but we will have Irving in the top 24 for Week 2 against the Browns.

Playing his first game since landing a three-year extension, Mayfield provided as many touchdowns for the other team as he did the Bucs. His score was a rugged nine-yard rush late in the fourth quarter, but his touchdown gift was a 27-yard fumble-six in the first. Mayfield was drifting trying to avoid pressure but never felt one of the oncoming rushers. Another one of his giveaways came on a reckless red zone rush where he was practically begging to turn the ball over. Mayfield, as always, contained multitudes. Emeka Egbuka was his leading receiver, but Bucky Irving caught the most passes. The running back leading the team in catches is not usually going to get it done. Looking to bounce back from this error-prone mess, Mayfield gets the Browns for the Bucs’ Week 2 home opener.