Eagles vs. Buccaneers MNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - D'Andre Swift, Dallas Goedert, Chris Godwin, Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White, Mike Evans

September 25, 2023

Fantasy football start em, sit em lineups advice for the Eagles vs. Buccaneers Monday Night Football game in Week 3 (2023). MNF matchups analysis and starts/sits.

Welcome back RotoBallers to our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Eagles vs. Buccaneers.

Wow, what a week it's been for the NFL and fantasy football managers. We have seen breakout performances, more injuries, and upsets - and we still have two more games! Let's see what the Monday Night Football game between the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers has in store for us.

Read our matchups analysis, player breakdowns, and lineup recommendations for the matchup and set those winning lineups. Good luck RotoBallers!

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Spread: Eagles -5.0
Implied Total: Eagles (25) vs. Buccaneers (20)
Pace: Eagles (29th) vs. Buccaneers (24th)
Eagles Off. DVOA: 1.8% Pass (23rd), 24.0% Rush (3rd)
Buccaneers Off. DVOA: 23.1% Pass (16th), -15.0% Rush (21st)
Eagles Def. DVOA: 10.1% Pass (18th), -43.5% Rush (4th)
Buccaneers Def. DVOA: -18.9% Pass (6th), -21.0% Rush (12th)

Matchups We Love

Jalen Hurts (QB, PHI)

Despite a full offseason to prepare for it, the "tush push" play is equally effective in 2023. Hurts and Co. still haven't hit full stride. Yet, Hurts finished as the QB6 in Week 2.

The Buccaneers have done well against opposing signal-callers, but the quarterbacks they've lined up against are not the same caliber as Hurts. I lean towards them putting it all together for a great game.

A.J Brown and DeVonta Smith (WR, PHI)

DeVonta Smith stole the show against Minnesota, exploding for 131 yards and a score. What you wouldn't know if you didn't watch the game is that A.J. Brown had a touchdown of his own negated by a penalty.

He also earned one more target than Smith. The Buccaneers' top corner, Jamel Dean, has fallen off, creating a nice matchup for these two, who tend to line up all over the field. They're both in the top 15.

Matchups We Hate

Baker Mayfield (QB, TB)

Mayfield has vastly exceeded expectations thus far. You could even draw a comparison to Geno Smith and the Seahawks in 2022 given the way they were underrated and overperformed.

Before we get too carried away though, let's see how he does against Philly. Their secondary is a mess right now, but their D-line is still intact. They've forced 32 pressures on the season. Mayfield stays on the bench one more time while we let the experiment run its course.

Cade Otton (TE, TB)

Otton's targets received a bump, reaching a total of six last week. It's exciting to see after he showed some flashes in Year 1. However, for this particular matchup, it's best to sit him in case the passing attack stumbles. He's also the third target at best, so he's a risky bet.

Other Matchups

D'Andre Swift and Kenneth Gainwell (RB, PHI)

Gainwell is good to go for Monday while Scott is out. Swift is still the play, but Gainwell could cap his upside.

There was no way to leave last Thursday's game without the focal point being D'Andre Swift. Even the biggest of believers would never have predicted 28 carries. It was like a broken record watching them hand the ball off over and over.

What complicates his amazing night is that Kenneth Gainwell missed the game and Boston Scott left partway through due to a concussion. Not to mention Rashaad Penny causing that negated touchdown for Brown we spoke about, resulting in what appeared to be a benching.

All this to say, it was a perfect storm for Swift and conditions won't be as optimal moving forward, including this week against a stout Tampa Bay front. Gainwell and Scott are both back at practice. If Gainwell suits up, he and Swift are in play with Swift as the preferred option.

Dallas Goedert (TE, PHI)

After putting up a goose egg in Week 1, Goedert hauled in six passes. Sadly, they only amounted to 22 yards, but it's still a promising sign. Moreover, Goedert trails only Durham Smythe in routes run per dropback at 85.5%.

The targets should be maintained and the production will start to climb, locking him into the top 10 against Tampa Bay, who has given up the eighth-most points to tight ends.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (WR, TB)

Evans is on fire. It has been one of the many surprises this season. It's one I definitely didn't anticipate. While the pace he's on (102 receptions for 2,105 yards and 17 touchdowns) is unsustainable, he's in a good spot against a position group that's dealing with a lot of injuries right now.

His partner in crime, Chris Godwin, has been playing second fiddle. He's still earning a 20.6% target share with a 71.4% catch rate, but the production hasn't followed. There's a decent chance that corrects itself with Mayfield airing it out in this one. They're both in the top 24 with Evans as the favorite.

Rachaad White (RB, TB)

After Week 1, we wondered if the inefficiency of White would increase given the positive matchup. It did. He averaged 4.68 yards per touch, finished 10th in elusive rating, and sixth in missed tackles forced. He also accounted for 85% of the RB carries and all five of the RB targets.

It's great to know there will be weeks when the workload and efficiency pair together. Against the Eagles, he'll be more reliant on the volume alone, but his involvement as a pass-catcher should keep him in the top 24. The team also lost Chase Edmonds to Injured Reserve, ensuring it'll be White and Sean Tucker splitting the opportunities.

Notable Injuries

Kenneth Gainwell (rib)
Boston Scott (concussion)
DeVonta Smith (hamstring/thigh)
Chase Edmonds (knee)

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