Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without star wide receiver Chris Godwin for the rest of the season, and without Mike Evans for a few weeks too.
Going into Week 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was ranked as the WR2 on the season. With 43 seconds left in the game down by 10 Baker Mayfield found Godwin for a 21-yard completion. But Godwin did not get up after he was tackled, instead he would have to get carted off the field. After the game reports came out Godwin dislocated his ankle and will have to have season-ending surgery this week. It is devastating news to the 28-year-old impending free agent, who was having a career year before this injury.
Godwin’s future is in question, he is set to be highly sought after in free agency, he very well could have played his last snap with the Buccaneers. For the rest of season, the Buccaneers will have to lean on their 3-headed running back core and young receivers in Jalen McMillian, Trey Palmer, Sterling Shepard, and Cade Otton. Mike Evans would be the number one target, but he too suffered a hamstring injury in Monday’s game and will be out until after Week 11 per reports for Head Coach Todd Bowles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is coming ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin has been ...
The Buccaneers are going to need more cannons after defeating the Commanders 37-20.
Baker Mayfield thrived week 1 versus the Washington Commanders. With new offensive coordinator Liam Coen in town, questions arose in the offseason about whether or not there would be a dropoff for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Finalist.
Baker cooked up 289 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes against the Commanders weak secondary. Mike Evans rose to the occasion with 5 receptions, 61 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. Chris Godwin and rookie Jalen McMillan also had a receiving touchdown each.
The Buccaneers will travel to Detroit for what will present prime conditions for an offensive shootout. Expect Baker Mayfield to pick up where he left off in week 1, making Buccaneers wideouts viable in all formats.
The Buccaneers rookie wide receiver is getting encouraging usage both in practice and in preseason action.
Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan is an excellent late round pick on UnderDog fantasy for best ball, going in round 15. Ian Hartitz on X posted that McMillan lined up out wide for 7 out 10 snaps he played against the Bengals in his first preseason game.
The competition for the Buccaneers third wide receiver spot is something to monitor as Chris Godwin and Mike Evans roles are set in stone set aside an injury occurring. Jalen McMillan is battling second year wideout Trey Palmer. Trey Palmer ran 53.4% of his snaps in the slot last year. The expectation is that Chris Godwin will move primarily into the slot.
With Godwin playing in the slot, this opens up an opportunity for Jalen McMillan to battle for time in 11 personnel packages. Jalen McMillan runs a 4.47 40-yard dash and comes from the Washington Huskies offense that was crowded with NFL talent in Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze and Patriots wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. Jalen McMillan can certainly hold his own and is a sneaky player to acquire in a larger trade where he is thrown into the deal.
Buccaneers wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon is planning on deploying Chris Godwin in the slot a majority of the time in 2024.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon said at a press conference that Chris Godwin will be moving back to the slot as his primary role. While seemingly minor on the surface, this will make fantasy gamers’ ears perk up knowing how well Chris Godwin plays in the slot.
Chris Godwin famously had a breakout season in 2019 where he had a 50.5% slot snap rate which was 12th in the league compared to 2023 where Godwin was 26th in the league at a 32% slot snap rate. This is welcome news as Godwin in 2019 posted 86 receptions (11th overall), 1,333 receiving yards (3rd overall), and had 9 total touchdowns. That year, Chris Godwin was also number 1 overall for yards after the catch with 574.
Chris Godwin is currently going 77th overall in the 7th round on UnderDog and is the 44th ranked wide receiver in our Dynasty rankings. Chris Godwin at 28 is a sneaky buy in Dynasty and won’t require a massive overpay.
The Buccaneers have replaced Dave Canales with Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Liam Coen.
So long as you’ve worked as a coach with Sean McVay you can be assured you will always have food, a job, and your pets’ heads will remain intact. New Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is the latest hire from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Liam Coen spent last season as the Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
The Buccaneers look to reunite impending free agent Baker Mayfield with a coach he is familiar, having worked under Liam Coen in their shared time with the Rams. In 2023, Baker Mayfield’s 4,044 passing yards was number 9 overall in the NFL paired with 28 touchdowns which ranked 7th. The Buccaneers will want to replicate last season’s offensive production and having a familiar coach will help keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay. Hanging in the balance is whether Mike Evans will re-sign. Evans, who will be a free agent this offseason, prints 1,000 yard receiving seasons like clockwork. A departure for Mike Evans would vault Chris Godwin to the lead receiver role on Tampa Bay while second year wideout Trey Palmer would become a sneaky late round draft pick.
All purpose running back Rachaad White remains a hold and buy in dynasty. His 990 rushing yards were number 14 in the league while his 549 receiving yards were third in the NFL for running backs. The Buccaneers are likely to add a running back late in the 2024 NFL Draft, but do not let it dissuade you from rostering Rachaad White.
Philosophically, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look very similar to their 2023 structure. The output was desirable and helped lead the post Tom Brady Buccaneers to the playoffs, a feat they aim to repeat in 2024.
