Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially re-signed restricted free-agent running back Sean Tucker to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Sports. Tucker will once again carry minimal fantasy football value into the 2026 season as the team's RB3 behind Bucky Irving and new RB Kenneth Gainwell. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Syracuse saw career-highs in carries (86), rushing yards (320), and touchdowns (seven) with the Bucs in 17 games played in his third year in the league as the RB3 behind Irving and Rachaad White. It helped that Irving missed considerable time in the middle of the season due to injuries, giving Tucker a bigger workload for a nice stretch alongside White. Tucker probably only deserves to be rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues heading into the start of the 2026 campaign later this year. He's averaged 4.3 yards per carry with 651 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 45 games (zero starts) in his three NFL seasons, adding just 19 catches for 152 yards and two receiving scores on 25 targets.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was one of the breakout success stories of the 2024 season, recording over 1,500 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. However, foot and shoulder injuries caused him to miss seven games in 2025 and limited him to just 865 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns for the year. Irving's efficiency as a rusher also plummeted precipitously, as he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry after averaging 5.4 yards per carry in 2024. Irving could easily bounce back with better health in 2026. However, Irving's stature as an undersized back leads to questions about whether he can make it through a full NFL season healthy. Additionally, Tampa Bay signed veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year contract in free agency. Gainwell topped 1,000 scrimmage yards as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, and his presence caps Irving's workload upside. While Irving still carries plenty of fantasy upside, his dynasty value is more of an open question coming off a down season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate at some points during the 2025 NFL season, but his somewhat underwhelming second half took him out of the running for the award. Along the way, Egbuka's high dynasty stock decreased slightly, creating a "buy" opportunity for managers in some dynasty leagues this offseason. The Ohio State product's subpar production during the second half was frustrating, but there's absolutely no reason to panic going forward. He has still shown that he can be a top-tier receiver in the NFL, winning matchups against defenders and scoring plenty of touchdowns. Now, he'll have an opportunity to do so more often with Mike Evans gone. Evans left for the 49ers in free agency, leaving Egbuka as the Bucs' top receiver over Chris Godwin Jr. Egbuka ranks as the WR12 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings. That's nothing to scoff at, but he also has top-five upside if the Bucs' offense can find more of a rhythm in 2026. Believe it or not, Egbuka is still a reasonable trade target in many dynasty leagues.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker had some usable fantasy moments and one week-winning performance in 2025, operating primarily as the third option in a top-loaded rotation. While some of the names have changed for 2026, Tucker's situation appears to be quite similar, with any fantasy relevance still tied to an injury ahead of him on the depth chart. His 140-yard, three-touchdown blowup in Week 11 came with Bucky Irving sidelined with foot and shoulder injuries and Rachaad White falling out of favor. White has since been replaced by Kenneth Gainwell, who will likely carve out the lion's share of the running back receiving work after banking a career-high 73 receptions with the Steelers in 2025. Irving, even while banged up and inefficient in his second season, still saw more than double Tucker's total carries while playing in five fewer games. With an expected return to health in 2026, that ratio could grow even more lopsided, leaving the 2023 undrafted free agent with very little standalone value.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the league's biggest surprises in 2025, with his career-high 73 receptions trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs at the position. After keeping such elite company, he leveraged his receiving success into a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers, where he joins a team and a new offensive coordinator with prior histories of involving running backs in the passing game. Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he initially stated his intent to deploy Bucky Irving similarly to the way he used Robinson in Atlanta, but the signing of Gainwell on the first day of free agency would suggest the bulk of the running back targets could go elsewhere. Last season, while Gainwell was nearly doubling his career receiving production in Pittsburgh, an injury-slowed Irving was splitting time with, and ceding much of the passing game work to, Rachaad White. While both backs bring versatility to what will be a new look Buccaneers offense in 2026, the safe bet will be for Gainwell to find most of his fantasy success as the dedicated passing back, as his 114 carries in 2025 also marked a career high, but were easily surpassed by Irving in only 10 games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson wasn't a steady fantasy option last year, but his 322 yards and five touchdowns were enough to turn some heads. Scoring five touchdowns as a rookie isn't easy, especially for a seventh-round pick buried on the depth chart. Nevertheless, Johnson emerged as a decent fantasy contributor, often filling in productivity-wise for any injured players among the core of Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Chris Godwin Jr. The good news for Johnson is that Evans has departed, leaving one fewer mouth to feed on offense. The bad news, though, is that Johnson's five touchdowns are not sustainable as long as he occupies a depth role. He's merely a depth receiver for now, but given how often wide receiver injuries occur in the NFL, there's a nonzero chance that Johnson could end up making a fantasy impact in 2026. Still, the anticipated touchdown regression has dropped Johnson down to WR95 in the latest RotoBaller dynasty rankings.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has been a reliable NFL producer who has made the occasional blip on the fantasy radar, most notably when a handful of high-volume games allowed him to land as the TE13 in 2024. While it's unlikely that many dynasty managers are rostering Otton as their TE1, he's been a fine depth piece to have for the occasional bye week or injury spot start. However, with Tampa picking at number 15 in the upcoming NFL Draft, the team has frequently been linked to Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, an athletic marvel whose presence on the roster could push Otton toward fantasy irrelevancy. Even if the Buccaneers elect to go in another direction on Night 1, this is a deep tight end class with a number of prospects capable of creating at least a messy timeshare. While praising the group he already has in-house, general manager Jason Licht recently told reporters, "It would be great to add a tight end to the roster who brings an element that some of the others don't." Otton is currently RotoBaller's TE30 in dynasty rankings.

After finishing his 2024 season as the QB4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield picked things right back up in 2025, playing some of the best ball of his career and garnering early MVP buzz. Through 10 games, the Buccaneers sat at 6-3 with Mayfield averaging more than 240 passing yards per game to go with his 8:1 touchdown to interception ratio. At 30 years old, Mayfield was priced as high as the dynasty QB10. The rest of the way, Tampa went 2-6, with Mayfield throwing for fewer than 188 yards per game, with only 10 touchdowns to his nine interceptions. His receiving core suffered injury after injury, and for whatever reason, he was unable to recapture the early-season magic he had with rookie Emeka Egbuka. Mike Evans has now moved on, leaving Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan atop the depth chart, along with two capable pass-catching backs in Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell. Mayfield enters 2026 as RotoBaller's dynasty QB19, and at 31, there's likely little he can do to reclaim QB1 status, even if he is still capable of producing multiple top-12 finishes. A newfound rushing element over his past two seasons helps provide a healthy floor, but at this point, Mayfield profiles as a high-upside QB2 in superflex leagues.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. should be viewed as a low-end WR2 in redraft and dynasty leagues going forward. Now that Mike Evans has departed for San Francisco, Godwin and Emeka Egbuka will share the responsibility of leading the Bucs' receiver room. Either receiver could go off during any given week, but Godwin has a higher floor given his steady target share. The 30-year-old missed eight games due to injury last year, but he was productive when healthy, ranking as the overall WR21 in PPR leagues from Week 13-18. Godwin last eclipsed 1,000 yards in 2023, and he had more than 100 catches in 2022. We wouldn't be surprised to see him finish 2026 with 100+ catches, 1,000+ yards, and at least a handful of touchdowns in 2026, as long as he can stay healthy. Managers in dynasty leagues might look to buy low on Godwin this offseason, given that his price tag is lower because of last year's injury.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan should occupy a larger role during the 2026 season after former teammate Mike Evans departed in free agency. Evans signed with the 49ers, leaving McMillan as the Bucs' new No. 3 receiver behind Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. The Washington product had an impressive rookie season back in 2024, catching 37 passes for 461 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing four games. He was trending toward being a major breakout candidate in 2025, but that fell apart due to the emergence of Egbuka and a neck injury that sidelined McMillan for 13 games. With the injury behind him and Evans gone, McMillan once again has an opportunity to break out in fantasy football. The pass-heavy Bucs offense has repeatedly shown that it can support three fantasy-relevant receivers, so fantasy managers should feel optimistic about McMillan for 2026. He's still relatively affordable in dynasty trades given his 13-week absence last year, so managers might be able to acquire him for cheap.

After a breakout rookie season in which he totaled over 1,500 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving recorded an underwhelming follow-up campaign in 2025. The 23-year-old recorded 865 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns on 203 touches, and missed seven games due to foot and shoulder injuries. In the offseason, Tampa Bay signed veteran back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract. Gainwell recorded 73 receptions for 486 yards on 85 targets as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, so he figures to take some work away from Irving in the Buccaneers' passing game at the very least. After Irving's injury-plagued 2025, Tampa Bay could be prioritizing keeping him healthy throughout the season by limiting his touches on a game-to-game basis. Irving still carries significant fantasy upside in dynasty formats, but he profiles more as an RB2 than a sure-fire RB1 heading into 2026.

The No. 19 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka recorded 63 receptions for 938 yards and six touchdowns on 127 targets across 17 games. The 23-year-old stepped into a larger role in the Tampa Bay offense than might have been expected immediately after he was drafted, as Buccaneers wideouts Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan all missed significant time due to injury. Heading into 2026, Evans has departed the Buccaneers for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, and Egbuka looks like the clear WR1 in Tampa Bay. Egbuka's overall stat line from 2025 was weighed down by a quiet close to the year, as he averaged just 4.25 targets per game over his final four games played when the Bucs' wide receiver room was at its healthiest. Now that he's in a clear leading role, Egbuka could easily emerge as a fantasy WR1 as soon as 2026. He profiles as a top-12 wide receiver in dynasty formats.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker showed flashes of high-level production upside in 2025, recording 354 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 94 touches across 17 games played. However, most of Tucker's chances came with fellow Bucs running back Bucky Irving sidelined by injury. When Irving was healthy, Tucker was largely limited to RB3 work behind both Irving and Rachaad White. White departed Tampa Bay in free agency for the Washington Commanders, but the Bucs brought in even stiffer competition for Tucker in the form of former Pittsburgh Steelers back Kenneth Gainwell. As long as Irving and Gainwell are healthy, Tucker's pathway to regular playing time in Tampa Bay is hard to see. The 24-year-old remains a slightly intriguing depth option for fantasy managers, but his dynasty value is fading as he enters his fourth NFL season and remains without a clear role in his team's offense.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers let future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans walk in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers, but second-year wideout Tez Johnson might still have an uphill battle for regular playing time in 2026. The Bucs took Johnson in the seventh round last year out of Oregon, and he ended up playing more snaps on offense than most people expected in his rookie campaign, thanks to injuries to Evans, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan. The 23-year-old showed flashes of upside in 16 games played (eight starts), catching 28 of his 44 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns. He also added seven rushing attempts for 22 yards. Johnson's workload dropped late in the 2025 season once Evans, Godwin, and McMillan all returned from their injuries. The experience was valuable, but Johnson won't be guaranteed a bigger role in 2026, even with Evans gone. Johnson is still worth stashing in dynasty/keeper leagues, but right now, he profiles as the team's WR4 behind Godwin, McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers new running back Kenneth Gainwell broke out in 2025 in his fifth year in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five rushing touchdowns. But where he made his mark was in the short passing game for the Steelers, catching 73 passes (fourth-most among RBs) on 85 targets for 486 yards (fifth-most among RBs) and three additional touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Buccaneers in free agency and will essentially replace Rachaad White, who is now in Washington, as the No. 2 back in Tampa behind early-down RB Bucky Irving. He's an ideal complement to Irving in the backfield, but Irving should continue to catch his fair share of passes, too, if he remains healthy. Gainwell should have a solid PPR floor in his new home as the team's pass-catching back, but fantasy managers should prepare for regression from what could very easily end up being his career year in 2025.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton hasn't been a very popular name in dynasty fantasy football leagues this offseason, but managers should consider acquiring the 26-year-old given the Bucs' moves so far. Most notably, the Buccaneers allowed wide receiver Mike Evans to depart in free agency. He leaves behind a modest 61 targets from 2025, but he's just a few years removed from his 136-target campaign in 2023. Historically, Otton has thrived when Evans isn't on the field. In the 11 games where Evans was sidelined due to injury last year, Otton averaged 5.4 targets, 3.9 catches, and 36.8 yards per contest. The biggest red flag for Otton was that he didn't score a touchdown while Evans was sidelined; in fact, he didn't get into the end zone until Week 18. We expect him to have some positive touchdown regression, though, and he has legitimate top-15 upside with Evans out of town. Dynasty managers in need of a potential low-end TE1 or high-end TE2 should send out trade offers for Otton, because he can be acquired at a reasonable price this offseason.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to discuss a contract extension with quarterback Baker Mayfield this offseason, league sources told Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Mayfield's three-year, $100 million deal expires in March of 2027. Howe adds that Mayfield's next contract won't necessarily be team-friendly after he has proven his worth as the team's franchise QB. He is currently the 16th-highest-paid signal-caller at $33.3 million per year. Mayfield and the Bucs have both publicly stated their desire to stay together beyond his current contract. It remains to be seen if Tampa is willing to give him at least $50 million annually after he regressed in 2025 with totals of 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 17 starts. Still, Lowe thinks he'd be justified in asking for four years and $224 milion or five years and $280 million, with at least half fully guaranteed. In fantasy football, Mayfield will be considered a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 option, with his upside limited now that he doesn't have future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans to throw to.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced on Tuesday that outside linebacker Lavonte David is retiring from professional football after 14 years in the NFL. David said earlier this offseason that he would either re-sign with the Buccaneers for a 15th season or retire. The 36-year-old veteran will finish an illustrious career that featured 1,716 tackles (1,172 solo), 42.5 sacks, 177 tackles for loss, 79 QB hits, 14 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 73 pass breakups, 33 forced fumbles, and 21 fumble recoveries (one returned for a TD) in 215 regular-season starts, all with the Buccaneers. Tampa drafted David in the second round (58th overall) in 2012 out of Nebraska. He was named to one Pro Bowl (2015) and was a first-team All-Pro once (2013) while also winning a Super Bowl ring. David amazingly had over 100 combined tackles in his 14 NFL seasons and only missed 14 games in his career. There's an argument to be made that he belongs in the Hall of Fame for his consistency over a long period of time.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield already delivered subpar results during the 2025 season, and moving forward, he'll also be without one of his favorite targets. Mike Evans departed for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, causing Mayfield to lose a perennial 1,000-yard threat with major touchdown upside. The veteran quarterback was the overall QB10 in 2023 and QB4 in 2024, but he fell to QB12 with 27 total touchdowns, 14 turnovers, and 36 sacks last year. We could still see Mayfield rank as a top-12 quarterback in 2026, especially with Zac Robinson replacing Josh Grizzard as the Bucs' offensive coordinator. However, it's going to be tougher for him to routinely carve up defenses without Evans at his disposal. Fortunately for Mayfield, the Bucs have other key pass-catching weapons. Chris Godwin Jr. remains a productive veteran, and Emeka Egbuka flashed glimpses of being a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2025. If Godwin can stay healthy for a full season and Egbuka can take a substantial second-year leap, Tampa Bay may be able to counteract the effect of Evans' departure, vaulting Mayfield back into the top-10 range. There's a wide range of possible outcomes for the former first-round pick, and depending on the asking price, he could be an appealing buy-low target in dynasty leagues this offseason.

Playing in parts of only nine games in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. put up the worst statistical campaign of his nine-year career, recording personal lows in receptions and yards, while his two receiving touchdowns were the lowest since his rookie year in 2017. Entering 2026, the Buccaneers will be without future Hall of Famer Mike Evans for the first time in over a decade, opening a target vacuum that Godwin could be first in line to fill. Godwin missed the first three games of 2025, opening a window for first-round pick Emeka Egbuka to form an early rapport with Baker Mayfield, but the chemistry faded down the stretch, and it was Godwin who received the second-most looks behind Evans over the final month of the season. One more year removed from the brutal ankle injury that ended his 2024 season, Godwin should see his target share and raw opportunities spike to the pre-injury count that saw him top 1,000 yards for five straight seasons.