RADIO
Jalen McMillan had Knee Procedure, No Surgery in Recovery
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) has been sidelined since Week 3 with a PCL sprain that landed him on injured reserve, and while head coach Todd Bowles recently told the media that a knee procedure was done, a posting by Pewter Report indicates that no surgery has been required as part of his rehab. A third-round pick in 2024, McMillan has been sporadically impactful, turning in a number of week-winning fantasy performances, but injuries have limited him to just 19 games through his first three seasons. While Bowles' update offers reassurance to dynasty managers, McMillan is unlikely to factor into 2026 redraft leagues, especially as the Buccaneers' passing offense continues to struggle heading into a Week 10 bye.
Source: Pewter Report
Source: Pewter Report
Bucky Irving's Workload May Decrease to Preserve his Health
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is on pace for a career-high 315 carries in 2026. Head coach Todd Bowles said he does not know if Irving can sustain that heavy a workload, so the team might work to lessen his workload in the second half of the season to preserve his health and make sure he is healthy to the end, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. In the 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, the 24-year-old had 20 rushing attempts for 97 yards and two touchdowns while adding four catches on five targets for 28 yards in the passing game. It was the third straight game, and the fourth time in the last five contests, that Irving had 20-plus rushing attempts. With the added volume, Irving has been one of the most productive RBs in the NFL in 2026, averaging 4.9 yards per carry for 825 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 167 carries in nine games played. He needs just two rushing scores to set a new career high. Irving has five rushing TDs in the last three games. A drop in touches in the second half will obviously lower Irving's fantasy ceiling and allow backfield mate Kenny Gainwell to see the ball more.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Emeka Egbuka Falls Short of Expectations in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka caught three of his five targets for 38 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. Fantasy managers were hoping Egbuka would take the next step into the No. 1 receiver role this season with Mike Evans gone, but so far, the Ohio State product has shown no indication that he can be a consistent alpha receiver in this Bucs offense. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, Chris Godwin Jr. has also been disappointing, leaving no clear answer for the team in their request to replace Evans. If there's any sort of light at the end of the tunnel, it's the fact that the Bucs face some very weak pass defenses on the other side of their Week 10 bye, including the Lions, Panthers, Chargers, and Ravens. Egbuka may be able to salvage his fantasy appeal for the time being because of his solid road ahead.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield Unable to Salvage Any Touchdowns in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 18 of his 32 pass attempts for 243 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. The 31-year-old has been an incredibly disappointing fantasy option ever since he returned from injury in Week 7. Across his three games since returning, Mayfield has yet to post double-digit fantasy points in a single game, and he has just 307 yards and one touchdown during that span. Low passing volume and turnovers have been a major red flag for the former No. 1 pick this year, making him a riskier fantasy option when the Bucs return from their Week 10 bye. It also doesn't help that the Bucs have a new-look receiver room this season, with the biggest loss being Mike Evans (Achilles), who is now in San Francisco. Mayfield is a low-end QB2 with a low floor going forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bucky Irving Continues to Produce as a Strong RB1 Despite Buccaneers' Loss
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving totaled 20 carries, 97 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 28 receiving yards. Irving ranks fourth among all NFL players in rushing yards per game this season, and the three running backs that he trails are Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Kenneth Walker III. That's a pretty good group to be associated with, and in addition to his rushing production, Irving has carved out a sizable pass-catching role to boost his value in PPR leagues. He has also been able to share some touches with Kenneth Gainwell without letting it impact his own fantasy outlook too much, as there are plenty of touches to go around in this Tampa Bay run game. Irving now has 20+ points (PPR) in three consecutive weeks, and he should continue to be deployed as a low-end RB1 heading into the Bucs' Week 10 bye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emeka Egbuka Active Against Bears After Two-Game Absence
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) is active for Sunday night's Week 9 game against the Chicago Bears, according to Greg Auman. Egbuka missed wins over Carolina and Atlanta. He sat out Wednesday's practice, participated fully on Thursday and Friday, and entered the weekend listed as questionable. Tampa Bay attempted just 14 passes across the two games he missed, including three without a completion in the shutout of Atlanta. Egbuka drew 16 targets in his last game against Pittsburgh, catching seven passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Source: Greg Auman
Source: Greg Auman
Emeka Egbuka Expected to Play in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Chicago Bears despite being listed as questionable, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Egbuka is set to return from a two-game absence after recovering from a concussion and a foot injury. The 24-year-old has posted mixed results when healthy last year, but he'll look to pick up where he left off, as he caught 13 of 25 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown between Weeks 5 and 6. He is averaging 8.2 targets per game this season, and he should continue to see similar (or even more) volume in a potential negative game script environment against the Bears. Egbuka is firmly established as Baker Mayfield's favorite target, making him a fringe top-25 fantasy receiver for Week 9.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Kenny Gainwell More Than Just a Handcuff Going Forward?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has emerged as an intriguing waiver wire target, and he appears to be more than just a handcuff going forward. The Bucs have leaned on the run game the last two weeks, allowing both Bucky Irving and Gainwell to carve out substantial standalone value in fantasy football. After logging just 19 carries through the first six weeks of the season, Gainwell has exploded with 39 carries over his last two games, partly due to game script and weather. While Tampa could certainly scale back the rushing attempts this week against the Bears, Irving should remain a fringe RB1 while Gainwell continues to be an RB3/flex option. As a result, fantasy managers should consider picking up Gainwell ahead of Week 9. He is no longer just a handcuff with appeal to Irving's managers, but is now a legitimate option for fantasy lineups in leagues with 12+ teams. Although he remains available in 52% of leagues, managers should make a move to pick him up now, because his roster share will soar if he turns in another big performance on Sunday night.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emeka Egbuka Looks to Make Immediate Impact if he Returns Vs. Bears
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) enters a Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears with a questionable tag due to a foot injury. Head coach Todd Bowles said on Friday that Egbuka will be a game-time decision against the Bears. After missing the previous two games due to a concussion and a foot injury, Egbuka logged back-to-back full practices on Thursday and Friday, after missing Wednesday's practice. While the back-to-back full practices appear to be a good sign, Egbuka's status remains unclear for a Sunday Night Football game against the Bears, which complicates things for fantasy managers with the late kickoff. RotoBaller ranks Egbuka as its No. 33 wide receiver for Week 9. In six games played in 2026, Egbuka leads the team in targets (49), receptions (28) and touchdown receptions (two), while ranking second on the team in receiving yards (240). The Bears currently allow 219 passing yards per game (14th in the NFL). If Egbuka is able to play, he should immediately return as Tampa Bay's top target in the passing game, which would come one week after the Bucs defeated the Atlanta Falcons without completing a single pass.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cade Otton is Barely on the Fantasy Radar for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton hasn't given fantasy managers much to cheer about lately. Otton has been held without a catch over the last two weeks. The Bucs have been focusing on running the ball, so the receivers have suffered in a major way lately. Over the last four games, Otton has recorded four receptions for 29 yards and zero touchdowns. He'll draw a matchup against the Chicago Bears defense in Week 9. A unit that ranks middle of the road when it comes to defending opposing tight ends. The Bucs have been having a ton of success on the ground, so they'll likely stick with that. Otton isn't a recommended streaming option until he proves that he can consistently put up decent numbers.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ted Hurst III is Not a Viable Streaming Option for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III was held without a catch for the second straight week. Hurst once again was blanked with zero catches on one target in the win over the Atlanta Falcons. It's not all his fault; it's tough to do anything when the Bucs only attempted three passes all game long. The rookie wideout has been held without a catch in three of the last four games. He does draw a favorable matchup against the Chicago Bears defense in Week 9. A defensive unit that ranks 19th in passing yards allowed this season. Despite that, Hurst hasn't done anything to warrant trusting him. He could fall further down the depth chart with Emeka Egbuka (foot) possibly returning this weekend. Hurst is worth a stash in deep leagues, but he shouldn't be started this weekend.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chris Godwin Jr. is a Risky Start for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. gave fantasy managers a dud during last week's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Godwin was held to zero catches on one target in the win over the Falcons. None of the Bucs receivers did basically anything in a game where they attempted only three throws all game. The veteran wideout has been held to under 40 receiving yards in six straight games. He draws a decent matchup against the Chicago Bears this weekend. A defense that currently ranks 19th in passing yards allowed this season. The Bucs are having so much success on the ground right now that it's unclear how much they will pass in this game. Godwin is ranked as Rotoballer's WR40 for this weekend and is a risky starting play in every fantasy format.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Kenny Gainwell Could Offer Deep-League Flex Value in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell put together his best performance of the season during last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons. Gainwell carried the ball 25 times for 140 yards during the victory. Both the carries and the yardage were season highs for Gainwell, who has seen a minimal workload throughout most of the season. The Bucs have leaned heavily on the rushing attack lately, which has led to more carries for Gainwell over the last two weeks. He has run extremely well over the last two games and figures to continue having an expanded role in Week 9. Sadly, he'll run into a Chicago Bears defense that ranks 4th in rush defense. The expectation is that the Bucs are going to continue pounding the ball, so Gainwell should at least be able to offer flex value in deep leagues.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Bucky Irving Holds Borderline RB1 Value
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has been putting up elite fantasy numbers over the last few weeks. The Bucs have been leaning heavily on the running game lately, and Irving is taking advantage of it. Last week, Irving carried the ball 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Atlanta Falcons. Both the carries and the yardage were season highs for Irving, who now has three games with over 100 yards this season. Irving will now run into a tough Chicago Bears defense in Week 9. A defensive unit that ranks 4th in the league in rush defense this season. Given Irving's success lately, the Bucs are likely going to continue pounding the ball even in a tough matchup. Irving sits as Rotoballer's RB8 this week and should be considered a borderline RB1 for this weekend.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Baker Mayfield is Shaky Streaming Option for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off one of the oddest stat lines you'll ever see from a starting quarterback. Last week, Mayfield was 0-for-3 on passing attempts with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions in the win over the Atlanta Falcons. The rainy conditions and Mayfield's thumb injury likely played a factor in the Bucs' offensive scheme last week. The week before that, Mayfield only threw for 64 yards in the win over the Carolina Panthers. It's unclear if the Bucs are purposely not passing because of Mayfield's thumb issue or they just haven't needed to because the running game has been so good. We'll see if Mayfield can rebound this weekend against the Chicago Bears. A defense that ranks 14th in the league in passing yards allowed. Mayfield currently sits as Rotoballer's QB23 and is looking like a shaky streaming option in most fantasy formats. He hasn't given fantasy managers any reason to trust him right now.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
