Team news: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Page 11

Todd Bowles says RB Bucky Irving (toe) is in play for Sunday. Confirms both WR Mike Evans (hamstring) and S Tykee Smith (concussion) have been ruled out.

Related Players: Rachaad White, Sean Tucker

A murky backfield situation gets even murkier. At this point, it's hard to trust any of the options heading into Week 8. Even if White operates as the RB1, that still makes him an RB3 for fantasy purposes.

No Bucky Irving at Bucs practice today, so that toe injury could definitely impact Sunday's game against the Falcons. Still have Rachaad White and Sean Tucker healthy, but the three-headed monster might not be fully active this week.

Rachaad White should be the RB1 if Irving misses, but don't count out Tucker to make a few plays of his own. White would be in RB2 territory with Tucker a low-end RB3.

The MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis, with Bucs WR Mike Evans out at least four weeks (not games), but potentially back after the bye.

Related Players: Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton, Sterling Shephard, Trey Palmer

Terrible day of injuries for the Bucs, but at least they'll get Evans back this season. McMillan remains the highest upside target over the next month, while Otton is a good bet to remain a top-10 TE option.

The Buccaneers won’t put receiver Mike Evans on injured reserve immediately, hoping he can return after the off week for the Nov. 24 game against the Giants, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Evans is expected to miss the next three games, Stroud adds.

Related players: Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer

The Bucs play the Falcons, Chiefs and 49ers before their off week. As the story added, Evans aggravated his hamstring injury on a dropped pass in the end zone in the first half Monday night. With Godwin expected to be out for the year with a dislocated ankle, the Bucs WR group has got a whole lot smaller, and it now leaves Shepard, McMillan and Palmer as the team's top three. While any of the three can be picked up off waivers with the potential to produce fantasy points, it's three pretty tough matchups on the horizon for the Bucs.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said postgame that the "early indication" is wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered an ankle dislocation in the team's 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.

"He's got an ankle, early indication is that it's dislocated," Bowles told reporters. "It doesn't look good."

Related players: Mike Evans, Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Cade Otton, Rachaad White, Bucky Irving

Bowles did not say whether Godwin was transported to a hospital after the game. Though the exact severity and recovery time for the injury is not yet known, Bowles' words indicate that the Buccaneers might have to prepare to be without one of their star receivers for a significant amount of time, the story went on to say. The problem for the Bucs is Evans also left the game with a hamstring injury. Assuming Evans and Godwin are out, the team will have to go with Shepard, McMillian and Palmer as their likely top-three WRs. TE Otton could also be a big factor going forward and had a big game on MNF. You can also expect the Bucs to continue to involve their RBs in the passing game as White caught six balls for 71 yards and two TDs with Irving catching three for 54 yards.

#Bucs coach Todd Bowles said WR Mike Evans “tweaked” something in his leg that had been “nagging” but expects him to practice later this week.

Related Players: Chris Godwin, Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan

Godwin was already a slam-dunk play in Week 7, but he could very well hit 15 targets if Evans misses. Beyond him, the rest of the receiver room would be (very) desperate plays.

The performance by RB Sean Tucker means he will join Rachaad White and Bucky Irving more in the backfield. "It's definitely worthy of him making it a three-headed monster,'' coach Todd Bowles said of Tucker.

Tucker had 136 yards and a TD on 14 carries and another receiving touchdown. Irving was already earning more work in the backfield before Tucker exploded onto the scene in Week 6. We'll see if this holds true, but it seems like especially bad news for White and his owners.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles says Jalen McMillan will be playing on Sunday, Rachaad White is a game time decision.

Related Players: Bucky Irving

White may have already lost the RB1 role to Irving, so if he misses, it will be wheels-up for the rookie. Otherwise, consider them both borderline RB2 plays in fantasy, with a slight edge to Irving.

Bucky Irving declines to say how or when he hurt his hamstring but reiterates: I’ll be ready for the game on Sunday.”

Related Players: Rachaad White

If Irving is fully healthy for Sunday, there's a good chance the changing tide continues, as White has been one of the least efficient backs in the league, dating back to the beginning of the 2023 season. Both are questionable Flex plays but Irving should be rostered everywhere with the chance he usurps the RB1 role.

Todd Bowles says rookie RB Bucky Irving has earned more snaps going forward.

Related players: Rachaad White

Irving carried 9 times for 70 yards, including a 32-yard run. White carried 6 times for just 17 yards. White did haul in 5 passes to Irving's 3, but White only had 18 yards on those catches with Irving getting 14 yards. It's tough to tell just how the touches will be split up since they were essentially split in Week 3, but this news could put Irving in the flex category for Week 4, at least until we see what the Bucs plan is at RB going forward.