Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton caught two passes for 32 yards during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. The 25-year-old returned from a three-game absence this weekend, but he didn't have a major impact as the Buccaneers threw the ball just 18 times. Otton was once again overlooked as Baker Mayfield preferred throwing to wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan. The 25-year-old finished as the overall TE14 in 2024, which was the best mark of his career and was also impressive given that he missed a trio of contests. Otton, who had 600 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season, will look to build on his production even further as he pushes to be a top-12 tight end. Fantasy managers should treat him as such, albeit on the fringe around No. 12. Managers who draft Otton in 2025 should feel comfortable with him in their starting tight end slot.
According to the team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is officially active for Sunday's wild-card game against the Washington Commanders. Otton has missed the previous three contests due to a knee injury. During the week, Otton was able to log two full sessions, which put him in a good position to return this evening. Fantasy managers should expect the 25-year-old to return to his typical role at the top of the depth chart. Over his previous five games, he has seen five targets per game and averaged 35.8 yards per game. Otton is worth a look as a high-floor play in DFS.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday night's wild-card game against the Washington Commanders, but he is expected to play, according to sources. Otton missed the final three games of the regular season due to his knee injury, but he got in some limited practice sessions this week and should be active this weekend for the first playoff game. The 25-year-old had an impressive three-game stretch from Weeks 7-9 in which he caught 25 of 31 targets for 258 yards and three touchdowns. However, all that production came with top wideout Mike Evans missing time with a hamstring injury. In five games after that stretch, Otton had a combined 15 catches for 179 yards and no TDs after Evans returned. If Otton returns Sunday night, he'll merely be a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE1 against Washington.
Cade Otton Considered Questionable For Sunday Night
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) practiced in full on both Thursday and Friday but is listed as questionable to play on wild-card weekend for Sunday night's matchup versus the visiting Washington Commanders. Rookie Devin Culp (ribs) was also on the injury report this week but he practiced in full all three days and has been cleared to play. Despite being questionable to play on Sunday and after missing the final three games of the regular season, the 25-year-old is trending in the right direction to suit up for the first round of the postseason. If Otton does return to the field on Sunday night, he should be considered a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE1 for fantasy lineups. Otton's best performances in 2024 all came with receiver Mike Evans sidelined due to injuries. The Commanders weren't the greatest matchup for TEs this year, but they did allow eight touchdowns to the position.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's Wild-Card game against the Washington Commanders. Otton was limited in practice to begin the week before getting in a full session on Thursday. The injury report for Friday has yet to be released, but head coach Todd Bowles said Otton is trending the right way. Otton hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in Week 15. His absence has freed up more playing time for Payne Durham and rookie Devin Culp. If active, Otton won't be anything more than a touchdown-dependent fantasy option with receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan taking on bigger roles lately.
Cade Otton Upgrades To Full Participation On Thursday
According to Scott Smith of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tight end Cade Otton (knee) logged a full practice on Thursday. This is an excellent sign for Otton, as he has been unable to fully participate since sustaining the knee injury during Week 15. Otton has missed the previous three games. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status on Friday's injury report, as he may be able to avoid an injury designation if he can log another full session. While sidelined, Payne Durham has taken over No.1 tight end duties and is currently riding a two-game touchdown streak. Over his previous eight contests, Otton saw seven targets per game and averaged 54.6 yards per game. If he is cleared to return on Sunday evening, he should be viewed as a low-end TE1 in DFS formats facing the Washington Commanders, who have allowed the ninth-fewest PPR points to the position.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) returned to practice on Wednesday and was listed as a limited participant. It's good news for Otton after he missed the final three games of the regular season due to his knee injury, although he might need to upgrade to a full practice in the next two days to avoid taking a questionable designation into Sunday night's wild-card playoff game against the visiting Washington Commanders. Head coach Todd Bowles said that Otton is "trending in the right direction" to return this weekend, for what it's worth. The 25-year-old has been a low-end, touchdown-dependent TE1 for fantasy managers when healthy, but if he is a game-time decision on Sunday night, it would be wise to go in another direction at the position for starting lineups during wild-card weekend. Payne Durham and rookie Devin Culp saw more snaps with Otton sidelined to close out the regular season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as doubtful despite logging a limited practice on Friday. Otton finishes the 2024 regular season as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues, amassing 59 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns through 14 games. He was one of the best tight ends in fantasy football when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (ankle) were both sidelined, but his productivity dwindled as soon as Evans returned to the mix. Payne Durham will step up as the Buccaneers' top tight end in Week 18, ranking as a mid-range TE2 for fantasy purposes. Devin Culp, a rookie tight end out of Washington who saw his first career target last week and ended up catching three passes for 52 yards, should also remain involved.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is now being considered doubtful to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints after it was reported earlier on Friday that he would be a game-time decision. Otton has already missed the last two games with a knee injury and is now likely to miss a third straight as the team looks to punch their ticket to the postseason with a win over the Saints. Both Payne Durham (quadriceps) and rookie Devin Culp (ribs) were listed on the Week 18 injury report as well, but both have been cleared to play this weekend after practicing in full on Friday. With Otton unlikely to play, expect both Durham and Culp to share the tight end duties for the Bucs in a must-win game at home. For fantasy purposes, managers should be able to find better TE options.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) will be a game-time decision for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints, according to head coach Todd Bowles. Otton has missed the last two games but returned to a limited practice on Thursday for the first time since Dec. 20, giving him a chance to suit up for a must-win game this weekend. Payne Durham (quadriceps) is also iffy for the regular-season finale for the Bucs, so in the event that both Otton and Durham are held out against the Saints, rookie Devin Culp would be in line for an elevated role for the second straight week after catching three of four targets for 52 yards in the Week 17 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Otton went off for several weeks when receiver Mike Evans was injured, but he's since fallen to a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE1 when healthy.
Cade Otton
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Buccaneers
