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Baker Mayfield Expected to Miss the Next Three to Six Weeks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is expected to miss anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on how quickly he is able to grip the football, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Mayfield has avoided an injured reserve stint for now, but the Bucs will give him at least a few weeks off after he recovers from a dislocated thumb and works to regain his grip strength. Mayfield is just two years removed from a QB4 fantasy finish in 2024, but he has taken a step backward since then. Through the first three games this year, he completed just 63.5% of his pass attempts for 615 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also had a rushing touchdown, 13 sacks, and three lost fumbles. Mayfield is a risky fantasy starter when healthy, and the same can be said of undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels, who will make his first career start as the Bucs' primary quarterback against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Baker Mayfield to Have Stitches Removed Monday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is scheduled to have stitches removed from his thumb on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb injury in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles recently said that Mayfield is expected to miss a "minimum of three weeks," but Pelissero noted that Mayfield is pushing to beat that timeline and could potentially be targeting a Week 6 return against the Pittsburgh Steelers. ESPN's Jenna Laine reported that Mayfield avoided damage to the ligament and tendon in his thumb. While Mayfield is out, Jalon Daniels is expected to start at quarterback for the Buccaneers.
Source: Tom Pelissero - The Ringer
Source: Tom Pelissero - The Ringer
Jalon Daniels is Desperation Deep League Play
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels will make his first career start against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4. Daniels will likely be under center for a few weeks with Baker Mayfield (thumb) out for at least three weeks. Daniels won the backup gig in camp, but he went undrafted out of Kansas. He has a decent arm and scrambling upside, but it's probably not enough to contribute legitimate fantasy value. Mayfield was struggling to find success, so it's unlikely that Daniels would be any better. He has a decent matchup against the Packers defense, but Daniels shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a desperation deep league play for Week 4.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Bucs to Lean on Jalon Daniels for the Next Three Weeks
For at least the next three weeks, rookie undrafted quarterback Jalon Daniels will start under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after starter Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb late in the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, according to the NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. In relief of Mayfield on Sunday, Daniels went 0-for-3 passing with an interception, so it was an inauspicious start to his NFL career. His interception came on a Hail Mary attempt as time expired in the fourth quarter. Daniels has plenty of athleticism -- he has a strong arm and plenty of scrambling ability -- but his lack of accuracy will be a problem in his first extended run as a starter in the NFL for an 0-3 team. Daniels will make the first start of his career in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers, and he will only be in play as a desperation QB2 option in deep superflex leagues. The Packers' defense/special teams unit will be a popular streaming option this week.
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Baker Mayfield to Miss "A Minimum of Three Weeks"
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) will miss "a minimum of three weeks" with a dislocated right thumb that he suffered on Sunday in the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Todd Bowles told Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. The Bucs will not place him on Injured Reserve as of now, and the Bucs will lean on undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels as the starter, beginning with a Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Mayfield received good news from his MRI exam, as tests showed that he did not suffer a fracture or any tendon or ligament tears. However, he is still going to miss some time over the next couple of weeks, so fantasy managers in two-QB superflex leagues are going to need to adjust. If Mayfield heals quickly and properly, he could be in play to make his return for a Week 7 divisional matchup against the Carolina Panthers. After an injury-plagued and disappointing 2025 campaign for the 31-year-old, Mayfield is off to a bad start in 2026, going 0-3 and throwing for 615 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in his first three games.
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Source: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
Baker Mayfield's MRI Shows No Ligament Damage, Will Still Miss Time
Updating a previous report, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield's (thumb) MRI exam on Monday showed no additional damage to his dislocated right thumb, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Mayfield is still likely to miss time, but it is relatively good news based on testing. The veteran signal-caller will get a second opinion. Mayfield suffered a gruesome dislocated thumb late in the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and immediately came out of the game in favor of undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels. The good news is he avoided any fractures or tendon/ligament damage, so he could return in as soon as two weeks. In the meantime, fantasy managers who have been starting Mayfield in two-QB superflex leagues are going to need to go in another direction. With Daniels looking likely to make his first NFL start in a Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, fantasy managers will also need to downgrade all of Tampa's offensive skill players with Mayfield set to miss some time in the next couple of weeks. Before injuring his thumb on Sunday, the 31-year-old Mayfield had another disappointing day at the office, throwing for 217 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Baker Mayfield Will Miss at Least 2-4 Weeks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is believed to have suffered a dislocated right thumb during Sunday's Week 3 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Mayfield will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury, but the expectation is that he'll miss two to four weeks, at a minimum. If the MRI reveals any ligament damage, he could miss more than a month. Losing a starting quarterback is the last thing the Bucs need right now, as they're 0-3 and trying to dig out from the basement of the NFC South. Rookie Jalon Daniels will step in as the Buccaneers' starter until Mayfield is healthy enough to play again. Daniels was a preseason sensation, but he came back down to earth in his limited action on Sunday, going 0-for-3 passing with one interception.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield Dislocates Right Thumb, Likely to Miss Time
Updating a previous report, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) reportedly suffered a dislocated right thumb, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Mayfield is expected to get an MRI on Monday to assess the damage, but is likely to miss time, per Rapoport. Mayfield left a 23-16 Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings late in the fourth quarter. Mayfield walked off the field with medical staff, while clutching his hand, before heading back to the locker room for further evaluation. Unfortunately for Mayfield, the injury took place on a fourth-and-13 play in which he was intercepted by Minnesota linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. Tampa Bay backup quarterback Jalon Daniels will likely start for the Buccaneers if Mayfield does miss any time.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Baker Mayfield Leaves Late With Hand Injury
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (hand) exited late in the fourth quarter of a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 with an apparent hand injury. According to Buccaneers reporter/writer Brianna Dix, Mayfield walked off the field with medical staff while clutching his hand. He was later spotted headed to the locker room. The play happened on a fourth down in which Mayfield was intercepted by Minnesota linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. The severity of the injury is not yet known. If Mayfield is forced to miss time, backup quarterback Jalon Daniels will be thrust into action for the Bucs.
Source: Brianna Dix - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Reporter
Source: Brianna Dix - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Reporter
Baker Mayfield Falls Into QB2 Conversation
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is off to a slow start to the season. Through two games, Mayfield has thrown for 398 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Fantasy managers expected more from Mayfield out of the gate, given his success under center since joining the Bucs in 2023. It's unlikely going to get better for Mayfield this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings defense. A defensive unit that didn't allow a passing touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Week 2. At some point, Mayfield should turn a corner, but until then, fantasy managers should put him in the QB2 conversation for Week 3.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Baker Mayfield's Passing Production Keeps Sliding
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has gotten some help from his legs through two weeks, because there has not been much happening through the air. Mayfield has thrown for 398 yards, one touchdown and one interception while taking seven sacks. He failed to reach 220 passing yards in either game, including a 182-yard performance against Cleveland last week. Mayfield has chipped in 59 rushing yards and a touchdown, but the passing decline goes back further than September. He threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns during his huge 2024 season before falling to 3,693 yards and 26 scores last year. The start to 2026 has not reversed that trend. Mayfield practiced fully all week despite an illness, so health should not be an excuse against Minnesota. He checks in 23rd among quarterbacks this week and sits in the group that can come off most rosters. The rushing helps, but Mayfield is a tough quarterback to trust right now unless the passing game starts producing again.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield has QB1 Upside for Week 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is looking to rebound after a messy performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Mayfield looked fine as a passer, completing 23-of-27 passing attempts for 216 yards. He didn't throw any touchdowns, but he also didn't throw any interceptions. The biggest problem for Mayfield was his three fumbles during Sunday's loss. Luckily, Mayfield will have a great chance of rebounding in Week 2. He'll draw a matchup against the Cleveland Browns defense that allowed 10.7 yards per pass attempt last week. The Browns also allowed four passing touchdowns in their season opener. Mayfield has a great chance to bounce back against his former team. Fantasy managers should treat him as a high-end QB2 with QB1 upside for Week 2.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Baker Mayfield Offers QB1 Value in Favorable Matchup
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield opens up the season on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fresh off an extension, Mayfield is ready to make some noise to start the season. The 31-year-old finished as the QB12 last season, but finished as a top-10 QB each of the last two seasons before that. The Bucs are without long-time wide receiver Mike Evans, who departed in free agency. The Bucs believe that Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. can carry the load in the passing game. Mayfield will get a favorable matchup to start against the Bengals' defense, which ranked in the bottom-10 this past season. The 31-year-old might not be as great a fantasy option as years past, but he carries QB1 value into Week 1.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Baker Mayfield a Strong Option off the Waiver Wire for Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield signed a three-year extension with the Bucs on Tuesday and enters the 2026 season with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after finishing the 2025 season as the QB17 on a points-per-game basis (17th) after finishing as the QB4 in 2024. Mayfield dealt with a handful of injuries last season and finished the year throwing for 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also contributed on the ground with 382 rushing yards, giving him a safe floor to go with his passing volume. Mayfield has a strong matchup in Week 1, going up against the Cincinnati Bengals, who ranked bottom 10 against opposing quarterbacks last season, allowing roughly 19.1 fantasy points per game to the position. Second-year standout receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) appears to be trending toward playing in Week 1 to go along with another of Mayfield's go-to targets, Chris Godwin. Mayfield is being drafted as a QB2 in most formats, but his Week 1 matchup may be too good to pass up. Fantasy managers looking to stream a quarterback in Week 1 should look Mayfield's way.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers Reach Agreement on Three-Year Extension
Two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $165 million on Tuesday that will prevent him from becoming a free agent after the 2026 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Mayfield broke off contract talks with the team as training camp opened at the end of July, but with the regular season kicking off this week, a deal was revisited and agreed upon. The 31-year-old veteran was a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons in Tampa in 2023 and 2024, but he played through injuries in 2025 and dropped down to 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 17 games and failed to make the postseason. Mayfield's fantasy football stock is down overall heading into the 2026 campaign with top wideout Mike Evans now in San Francisco and Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) banged up going into the season opener this Sunday. However, he should still be considered a midrange QB2 in superflex leagues, and he has some QB1 upside in Week 1 in a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
