Tampa Bay Buccaneers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (calf, knee) won't carry an injury designation into Thursday night's divisional contest against the Atlanta Falcons to kick off Week 5 action. Evans was held out of practice on Monday but was limited on Tuesday and Wednesday and is good to go. Fellow receivers Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) will not play, which means veteran Sterling Shepard will serve as the WR3 for Tampa behind Evans and Chris Godwin against Atlanta. Now that we know for sure that Evans is good to go, he should be locked into all starting fantasy lineups as he looks for a second straight strong week. In the win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, Evans had season-highs in catches (eight) and yards (94) while finding the end zone for the third time in 2024. It was a nice bounce-back after catching just two passes for 17 yards the week prior.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) have been ruled out of the Thursday Night Football contest against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. McMillan suffered a hamstring injury in last Friday's practice and did not play in Week 4, while Palmer suffered a concussion in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. With both wideouts banged up, veteran receiver Sterling Shepard caught three passes for 51 yards. He has since been signed to the active roster following last week's practice-squad elevation, so he should occupy the WR3 role behind Chris Godwin and Mike Evans in Thursday's NFC South clash. Shepard is not a great option for traditional leagues, but he can be utilized as a desperation flex play in deeper setups.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) did not practice on Tuesday. Both players are significant depth pieces for the Buccaneers at wide receiver. Their lack of participation Tuesday does not bode well for their ability to play on Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons. McMillan already missed Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. His absence forced Palmer to step up. Palmer recorded three receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown while filling in for McMillan. If neither player can go on Thursday, the Buccaneers will likely turn to Sterling Shepard and Kameron Johnson (ankle) for depth at wide receiver. What this news most likely means is that Mike Evans (knee/calf) and Chris Godwin should see the lion's share of targets in Week 5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (knee, calf) was limited in practice on Tuesday. Evans is trending in the right direction after not participating in practice on Monday. The Buccaneers will need Evans as they head into a divisional clash with the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday. Evans is off to a solid start in 2024 with 18 receptions for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has played very well in 2024 which has supported both Evans and fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin. The Falcons are an ok matchup for Evans in Week 5. They are 14th against opposing wide receivers this season. Evans should see his usual fair share of targets and have a chance to score another touchdown. With the way the Buccaneers have been rolling in 2024, it is hard to keep Evans out of your lineup. As long as he continues to trend up in his practice participation, he should be a solid start in Week 5.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran wideout Sterling Shepard to the active 53-man roster on Tuesday, according to NFL.com. Shepard was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad for Sunday's Week 4 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles and caught three of his five targets for 51 yards. Rookie wideout Jalen McMillan (hamstring) missed Week 4 with a hamstring injury, and second-year speedster Trey Palmer (concussion) suffered a concussion and exited the win early. Star wideout Mike Evans (knee) missed practice on Monday, but there's no indication that he is at risk of missing the Week 5 game against the Atlanta Falcons. As for Shepard, he can be utilized as a low-end flex play in deep formats if McMillan and Palmer don't suit up on Thursday night.