Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians told reporters Friday that RB Ronald Jones (ankle) will not play Week 18.

Related Player: Ke'Shawn Vaughn

It is the Ke'Shawn Vaughn show for the Bucs Week 18 with Le'Veon Bell working in.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (hamstring) and RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn (ribs) practiced in full Thursday, while RB Ronald Jones (ankle) sat out again.

Evans could/should be the Bucs' top passing target Week 18, while Vaughn is a lock for the most running work.

After the win, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians was asked if he thinks Ke'Shawn Vaughn has a future as the team’s third-down back.

“No, I think he’s a lead back,” Arians said, via Zach Goodall of SI.com. “He has great running skills, excellent jump-cut ability and he’s worked on his hands. His hands are better. He dropped [a pass on Sunday] — it pissed him off — but he has worked on his hands hard. I think he’s a lead dog.”

Related players: Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones

A lead role may not be in the cards for Vaughn in the near future, but Fournette and Jones aren’t under contract in 2022 and there’s a window for Vaughn to make his case for a bigger piece of the offensive pie down the road, the story said. As for the rest of this season, Vaughn may have earned a few more touches at the expense of Jones. It's something to think about as we head into the what is likely your fantasy finals in Week 17.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed RB Le'Veon Bell to the active roster.

Related Players: Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

This signing says a lot. Fournette is more than likely missing Week 16 and Bucs HC Bruce Arians has shown he is not particularly fond of Jones and Vaughn. Bell is worth a speculative add as the fantasy season enters its twilight.

Sources: The Bucs are signing RB Le’Veon Bell, pending physical.

Related players: Ronald Jones, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

The Bucs needed depth with the loss of Leonard Fournette for what looks to be the rest of the regular season. Jones should get a majority of the workload, per HC Bruce Arians, at least on early downs. But both Bell and Vaughn could help in the passing game or as a change of pace. With the Bucs also banged up at WR, it could be a run-heavy attack over the final three weeks as Tampa gets the Panthers, Jets and Panthers again to finish the season.

Buccaneers now are “likely” to place RB Leonard Fournette on injured reserve with the hamstring injury that left him on crutches Sunday night, per a league source. He then would miss rest of regular season.

Related players: Ronald Jones, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

Fournette is expected to be return for the playoffs, per source. He was also expected to possibly miss two games anyway, so fantasy owners at least get some closure on a running back who may have very well helped to lead them to the playoffs. HC Bruce Arians has already said this will be the Jones show going forward, and so he should get a bulk of the work, which is why the team said they didn't want to move him back at the trade deadline. With the team banged up at WR, Jones is likely to get a heavy workload and certainly has RB1 potential in the fantasy playoffs.

Leonard Fournette may miss some time, a game or two, but not a major injury.

Related players: Ronald Jones, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

Unfortunately, a game or two at this stage of the season is a huge deal and depending on how things go the Bucs certainly could hold out Fournette the rest of the regular season with games against the Panthers, Jets and then the Panthers again to close the regular season. Jones should get a chance to be the lead back with Vaughn mixing in at times as well, probably mostly in the passing game and as a change of pace.

In the third quarter, Leonard Fournette was helped to the locker room with what the team called a hamstring injury. He also did not return in the Bucs' 9-0 loss.

Related players: Ronald Jones, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

It wasn't a good week for the Buccaneers who also lost Chris Godwin and Mike Evans at WR. Early reports say all players could be looking at being out for multiple weeks. If Fournette misses time, Jones likely takes over a bulk of the work, especially on early downs but don't be surprised if the once-popular Vaughn also gets work, especially on passing down.