Team news: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Page 7

Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (knee) is progressing well in practices, but people I've talked to believe a Week 3 return might be ambitious. Week 4 against Philadelphia, however, feels like a real possibility.

Related Players: Emeka Egbuka, Mike Evans

There's a good chance that the Buccaneers will ease him back into his typical full-time role, but this is still promising for his second-half fantasy prospects. Ebuka has looked great through his first two games, so it's unlikely he will be pulled off the field in favor of the veteran, which could mean we get even more 3-WR sets in Tampa Bay. The three stud receivers will undoubtedly eat into each other's targets, but all of them are still very much in the weekly fantasy conversation.

Bengals also are signing QB Mike White to their practice squad, per source.

So both White and Sean Clifford added to Cincinnati’s practice squad.

Related players: Jake Browning, Brett Rypien

After Joe Burrow injured his toe and will be out at least three months, the Bengals are stocking up on quarterbacks. Browning will take over the starting job and can be picked up in just about any format. Rypien will likely be the number-two with White and Clifford taking on the insurance roles.

ESPN sources: Bengals QB Joe Burrow will need toe surgery.

Related players: Jake Browning, Brett Rypien

As we reported yesterday, surgery could require Burrow to miss at least three months of the season, and Schefter is confirming that again this morning. It's obviously a huge blow for fantasy owners of Burrow. Burrow could be back around early-to-mid December based on this timeline. The good news is Browning has shown he can be a decent fantasy QB option, and he threw for 241 yards and two TDs coming in to replace Burrow in Week 2 - but he also threw three interceptions. So, owners of Chase Brown, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins hopefully will only see minimal drops in fantasy value going forward. Browning is worth a pickup off the wire in pretty much any league format, but will especially be a popular target in multi-QB or superflex leagues.

Good news for the Bucs: Star WR Chris Godwin is expected to practice today for the first time and he’ll be limited. Part of his return to play process, but a very good sign.

Related Players: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan

Certainly a good sign of things to come, but Godwin is still expected to be a few weeks away from hitting the field. In the meantime, Evans and Egbuka should be started everywhere, and we'll have to revisit the potential target share issues when the time comes.

Mike Tomlin on Jaylen Warren:

"His progress has been very evident and he's to be congratulated ... Certainly he'll be our featured runner. Certainly you'll see [Kaleb Johnson/Kenneth Gainwell], but at what time and at what degree [will depend week-to-week]."

Warren just signed an extension with the Steelers for two years and now looks to be the Steelers RB1. Warren isn't the biggest back so there will be questions about his size and handling a full workload, but it's good news for his owners who snagged him later in drafts. Johnson should be able to earn some early down work at some point, but it sounds like that will vary. It's just another RB situation that will need to work itself out before fantasy owners feel comfortable.

A two-year extension for Steelers RB Jaylen Warren, per his agents.

Related players: Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell

The agents pointed out Warren went from Snow Community College to Utah State to Oklahoma State before signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent. The Steelers RB situation looks to be a complicated one as the team also drafted Johnson. Some reports suggest Johnson hasn't been as great as expected so far through camp and practices, but he is still expected to get some of the workload. Gainwell comes over from the Eagles and can pretty much do it all. He was often on the field in two-minute situations and passing downs.

There were high hopes when Emeka Egbuka arrived in Tampa, and as general manager Jason Licht put it last month, "He's everything that we thought plus some." But now he'll be counted on to deliver.

Egbuka spent all of camp stepping in for Chris Godwin Jr., who was just cleared to resume practicing after suffering a dislocated left ankle last fall. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Godwin still is unlikely to play until October.

But the big new development has been Jalen McMillan suffering a significant neck sprain that sources say will likely keep him out until after their Week 9 bye.

The story said Egbuka is counting on the trust he and quarterback Baker Mayfield have spent the summer building, on and off the field. The story added Eguba not only learned Godwin's role, but every receiver's role - which will allow him to take on more work outside opposite Mike Evans and allow a trusted veteran like Sterling Shepard to step in. Egbuka certainly has the chance to establish himself right from the start, and there's a chance he continues to have a role even when Godwin comes back and likely takes over the slot. The best part is, Egbuka looks to be available in the seventh-to-eighth round, which could make him a huge bargain this season.

Talking on @953WDAE, Bucs GM Jason Licht frames Chris Godwin’s return as likely October (Week 5 or later), saying Tristan Wirfs might be a little sooner.

Related Players: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan

This is about the timeline that we thought he'd be on, but it's still a little confusing why the team took him off of PUP. Regardless, we should consider Evans a WR2 and Egbuka a WR3 as we head into drafts this weekend.

Chris Godwin. Their presence means that they have passed physicals and won’t remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the first four weeks of the regular season.

Related players: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Sterling Shepard

Godwin reportedly won’t play until October. He’s expected to start practicing in Week 2, the story went on to say. With Godwin out, Egbuka is poised to take over the WR2 role behind Evans. Next up could be the veteran Shepard.

The Bucs plan to release quarterback Kyle Trask, per source.

Related players: Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater

Trask will revert to IR with a shoulder issue, then work out a settlement or release and look for a new team, the post went on to say. The move means the team will stick with Bridgewater as the QB2 behind Mayfield.