The Tampa Bay Instances reported Monday that Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) won’t take part in team-related actions firstly of coaching camp. Let’s study what meaning for Godwin and Tampa Bay’s passing recreation heading into this season, which has numerous Fantasy firepower, together with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan.
The Buccaneers’ aerial assault needs to be explosive as soon as once more in 2025, even with offensive coordinator Liam Coen gone. Josh Grizzard will now name performs in Tampa Bay, and he was the group’s move recreation coordinator final season for Coen, which is a plus.
In 2024, Mayfield set profession highs in passing yards (4,500), touchdowns (41), and dashing yards (378). He additionally rushed for 3 touchdowns and completed with 16 interceptions and two fumbles.
Mayfield needs to be thought-about a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues, and he is price drafting proper after the Fab 5 (Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, and Jalen Hurts) come off the board. I’d additionally draft Patrick Mahomes forward of Mayfield, and he is my No. 7 quarterback this season. You can begin to search for Mayfield as early as Spherical 7 in one-quarterback leagues, and he is a Spherical 2 choice in Superflex.
You may worry some regression for Mayfield, and standout left deal with Tristan Wirfs (knee) may miss 2-4 weeks to begin the season. However Mayfield additionally has among the finest receiving corps within the NFL — if everyone seems to be wholesome.
That leads us to Godwin, who was superior final season earlier than getting harm. He suffered a season-ending ankle harm in Week 7, and Godwin averaged 19.7 PPR factors per recreation, which was second solely to Ja’Marr Chase (23.7). Godwin was on tempo for 121 catches, 1,399 yards, and 12 touchdowns, and he was higher than Evans throughout that stretch.
It seems just like the Buccaneers might be cautious with Godwin, who signed a three-year, $66 million contract this offseason. Todd Bowles mentioned in June that he was hopeful Godwin can be prepared for Week 1, however now we now have to see what develops over the subsequent few weeks.
When wholesome, Godwin could possibly be a top-15 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, however we now have to see how he’ll mesh with Egbuka and even McMillan. Bear in mind, McMillan did not escape till the top of 2024 when Godwin was out.
The earliest I’d draft Godwin is Spherical 6 in most codecs, however he may fade the longer he is not working towards with the group. That would result in an amazing worth decide, and I am hopeful Godwin might be high quality for Week 1.
Evans would be the first Tampa Bay receiver drafted this season, and his Common Draft Place will probably be in Spherical 4. He simply had one other excellent season in 2024 at 17.2 PPR factors per recreation. It was his eleventh season in a row with no less than 1,000 receiving yards (1,004), and he scored double digits in touchdowns (11) for the sixth time in his profession.
However he turns 32 in August, and we may lastly begin to see Evans fail to ship on his constant manufacturing. Needless to say he missed 4 video games in 2024 with an injured hamstring, and now there’s important competitors for targets. Final season, earlier than Godwin went out, Evans was averaging simply 14.3 PPR factors per recreation. That is strong manufacturing, but it surely’s not elite. I am not reaching for Evans earlier than Spherical 5 in all leagues.
Egbuka, the No. 19 total decide within the first spherical of the NFL Draft, ought to profit essentially the most the longer Godwin is out. Egbuka set the Ohio State profession reception file with 205, which he was 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns in 49 profession video games, and he could possibly be a strong weapon within the slot.
Even when Godwin is wholesome, you need to take a late-round flier on Egbuka given his upside, and he ought to discover a method to earn enjoying time because the yr goes on. That timeline would simply get accelerated if Godwin misses any time.
You also needs to have curiosity in McMillan if Godwin is sidelined, and Grizzard lately talked up McMillan on The Ronde Barber Present. I’d draft McMillan with a late-round decide in all leagues.
“The place J-Mac (Jalen McMillan) left final season, and the progress he confirmed on and off the sector, you would see that carry over into the spring,” Grizzard mentioned. “With not having Chris on the market and bringing Emeka alongside, and him displaying Emeka the ropes … then his means to simply do this, and be himself, and actually simply take off the place he left off.”
Final yr, with Godwin out, McMillan closed the season with seven touchdowns in his ultimate 5 video games, and he scored no less than 16.7 PPR factors in every outing. He has loads of upside, even when he is in a secondary position.
My outlook for Cade Otton will not change with Godwin’s well being, and Otton is just price a late-round flier in tight-end premium leagues. When Godwin and Evans each received harm in Week 7, Otton had three video games in a row with no less than 18 PPR factors, and it appeared like he can be a go-to goal for Mayfield. However when Evans returned and McMillan emerged, Otton disappeared, and it is onerous to count on constant manufacturing from him this season with the addition of Egbuka.
I am additionally not altering my outlook for Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. Irving is price drafting in Spherical 2 in all leagues, and hopefully he’ll decide up the place final season ended. He scored no less than 16.3 PPR factors in seven of his ultimate 9 video games, together with the playoffs. And in his ultimate 4 outings, Irving had no less than 19 whole touches in every outing.
White is an efficient reserve operating again to focus on with a mid-round decide in all leagues. His inventory is on the decline due to Irving, however White has no less than 50 receptions in three years in a row. And he averaged a career-best 4.3 yards per carry final season and matched his career-high with 9 whole touchdowns. He could possibly be a lottery ticket if Irving had been to overlook any time.
For the receivers, rather a lot will change if Godwin is not prepared for Week 1. He has loads of time to get again to one hundred pc, however we do not love that he is not working towards with the group firstly of coaching camp.