Tampa Bay Buccaneers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) didn't suit up for practice on Wednesday. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised by this news given Evans has been banged up this season. The absence of Evans could strictly be the Bucs just being cautious with their veteran wideout. Fantasy managers shouldn't be worried about Evans missing Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Evans figures to suit up for this weekend as long as he can get through a practice at some point this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that rookie running back Bucky Irving (back) had his back tighten up on him in the Week 14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Irving's availability for Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers will depend on whether his back loosens up during the week. ESPN's Jenna Laine suggested that the 22-year-old's exit on Sunday was more for precautionary reasons, but it doesn't sound as though Irving is a sure thing to be available next weekend against the Bolts. In addition to a back injury, Irving was listed as questionable for Week 14 with a hip injury. He finished with only four carries for three yards and caught one pass for 15 yards on Sunday before leaving and never returning. If Irving is limited or out against LA in Week 15, Rachaad White figures to lead Tampa's backfield after nearly rushing for 100 yards and scoring twice against Vegas.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin went 4-for-4 on extra points and did not attempt a field goal during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Four extra points don't exactly move the needle in terms of fantasy scoring, but managers can still be satisfied with the fact that he didn't miss a kick against Las Vegas. McLaughlin has now gone 38-for-40 on extra points and 21-for-23 on field goals in 2024, ranking eighth among kickers in terms of fantasy points this year. He should continue to be deployed as a top-12 kicking option heading into Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (back) was active for Sunday's win over the Raiders. However, he didn't see much action, amassing three yards off four carries and adding one catch for 15 yards. The rookie exited in the second quarter and was progressively downgraded to out. Fortunately, it doesn't appear as if he was re-injured, with ESPN's Jenna Laine reporting that Irving was held out to avoid "any setbacks" regarding his health. With the Bucs currently sitting atop the NFC South, the team will need him on the field in Week 15 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. It sounds as if Irving should be good to go. But if not, Rachaad White, who had two touchdowns in Week 14, will be in line for more work.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton was able to break out of his slump during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Otton hauled in three of his last four targets for a team-high 70 yards in the win. It's worth noting that a majority of Otton's yardage came on a 44-yard reception, but at least fantasy managers were able to get something out of Otton. The third-year tight end has taken a backseat in this offense since wide receiver Mike Evans returned to the mix. At this point, fantasy managers shouldn't consider Otton anything more than a TE2 going forward.