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As we head into Week 16, which is the fantasy football semifinals in most leagues, we must first debrief on what was one of the most hectic weeks in NFL history due to injuries and COVID-19 outbreaks across the league. Fantasy managers that want to advance to their league's championship matchup in Week 17 must stay on top of all the news in order to give themselves the best chance to move on.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued to struggled against the division-rival New Orleans Saints on Sunday night and were shut out 9-0, but perhaps more importantly, they lost three key members of their offense in the same game.
Focusing on the wide receiver position specifically, will Mike Evans (hamstring) play in Week 16? And how long will Chris Godwin (knee) be sidelined? Below we take a quick look at the updated injury statuses on Evans and Godwin and break down how Tampa's receiving corps might look in the coming weeks.
Is Mike Evans Playing This Week Against the Panthers?
Wide receiver Mike Evans has a chance to play in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers after straining his hamstring in the Week 15 loss to the Saints. But as of right now, fantasy managers must consider Evans questionable to suit up this weekend.
Evans was a big disappointment for fantasy managers that needed him to have a big game in Week 15, as he provided just one catch on his only target for 14 yards before straining his hamstring on Sunday night and being ruled out for the rest of the game.
It was extremely bad timing for fantasy purposes, but the 28-year-old has been one of the most reliable fantasy wideouts when healthy, catching 64 of his 99 targets for 899 yards and 11 touchdowns, which ranks second among all wideouts behind only Cooper Kupp.
Evans is currently the WR8 in fantasy and should have an even higher ceiling when he returns given Chris Godwin's injury situation. You'll need to keep a close eye on Evans' practice participation this week.
How Long Will Chris Godwin Be Out For?
Unfortunately Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (knee) will miss the rest of the season after he suffered a torn ACL in the Sunday night loss to the Saints. Godwin is set to be a free agent after the 2021 season, so Sunday's game might've been the last time we'll see him in a Buccaneers uniform.
While Mike Evans is Tom Brady's favorite red-zone weapon, Godwin leads the team in targets (128), receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,103) through 15 weeks. He added five touchdowns and is currently the WR10 in overall fantasy points.
That's a lot of production to replace in Tampa's offense. Brady will have a huge challenge on his hands the rest of the way and into the postseason, especially if Evans misses a game or two with his hamstring injury.
Should I Start Antonio Brown in Week 16?
Mike Evans (when he returns) and tight end Rob Gronkowski will probably benefit the most from Godwin's season-ending injury, but don't forget about the return of Antonio Brown.
Tampa head coach Bruce Arians was unsure if the team was going to cut Brown because of his three-game suspension, but with Godwin now out for the rest of the year, the Bucs have decided to keep the 33-year-old. Brown should be available to play in Week 16 against the Panthers.
Brown's fantasy stock is once again on the rise, as he could have strong WR2 upside the rest of the way with Godwin not in the picture. However, fantasy managers must also remember that Brown hasn't played since Week 6 due to a pretty serious ankle sprain.
Temper expectations this week, but Brown, who is 69% rostered in Yahoo leagues, needs to be added immediately off the waiver wire if he's available in your league.
If Brown isn't available, Tyler Johnson should be next on your priority list off the waiver wire if you're looking to add a pass-catcher in advance of Week 16. Johnson, who had four catches on a season-high seven targets for 41 yards in Week 15, and Scotty Miller will have expanded roles the rest of the way.
You can also expect more two-tight end looks from the Bucs, especially if Brown needs to be eased back into the offense after his long layoff. Alongside Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard should see the field more often.
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