TE Cade Otton, S Antoine Winfield Jr. and WR Sterling Shepard are all OUT for Bucs in Week 17.

Related Players: Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, Devin Culp, Trey Palmer, Ryan Miller

Shepard shouldn't impact the rest of the team's target share too much, while none of these tight ends need to be considered.

Todd Bowles said Mike Evans is the only player ruled out — Greg Gaines and Jalen McMillan are the biggest question marks for Sunday vs. 49ers.

Related Players: Sterling Shepard, Trey Palmer, Ryan Miller, Cade Otton

This wide receiver room is on the tipping point of being one of the worst in the league, so hopefully we see McMillan cleared in time. Outside of him, Cotton remains the only pass-catcher we can play with any certainty.

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.

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 officially released RB Leonard Fournette and TE Cameron Brate.

Related Players: Rachaad White, Chase Edmonds, Cade Otton

The latter may be a little more surprising than the former but they are both aging veterans who can have their production replaced rather easily. Cade Otton had a couple of small flashes with Brate sidelined last season, but we'll have to see how that translates into an offense without Tom Brady.

Saying he was “bored” not playing football, retired tight end Rob Gronkowski contacted the Bucs last month about a possible return to the team. The Bucs had several conversations with Gronkowski around Thanksgiving about him possibly reuniting with quarterback Tom Brady to help the struggling squad secure a playoff berth.

Related Players: Cade Otton, Cameron Brate

Even if he were to return, it is very unlikely it would have an impact on typical redraft leagues, but what a crazy wrench it would throw into playoff-only leagues. Gronk went 8-110-2 in the 2020 postseason and followed it up with a 9-116-1 performance in two 2021 postseason games.

Todd Bowles says Antoine Winfield will miss Sunday’s game, as will Cam Brate, Russell Gage, and Luke Goedeke.

Related Players: Cade Otton

Though Cade Otton’s end result in Week 8 was nothing to get excited about (2.5 half-PPR points, 15 yards), the fact is, he is still getting incredible usage. Otton’s 44 routes run were the second-most of any tight end in the league last week, and this comes on the heels of a 37-route (third-highest) performance in the week prior. He should be considered a fringe TE1/TE2 option, even in a difficult matchup against the Rams.

Todd Bowles rules out four players for Sunday at Carolina: DL Akiem Hicks, WR Julio Jones, TE Cam Brate, and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Related Players: Cade Otton

Cade Otton had the full TE1 role back in Week 5 and delivered acceptable results, finishing as the TE14, running a route at the third-highest rate (94.2%) amongst tight ends, and racking up seven targets. The team’s Week 7 implied total sits at 25.5, the fifth-highest mark of the slate, which provides some touchdown equity for Otton, who had two red zone targets in his lone start of the season.

Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate, who left the field on a backboard yesterday, went home on the team flight, was in good spirits, and had all of his follow-up scans negative. He’ll be monitored, but as it pertains to his neck, this is good news.

Related Players: Cade Otton

After Brate's recent history with neck/head injuries, it would be safe to assume that he will not be suiting up for Week 7. This would open the door for rookie fourth-rounder Cade Otton, who has ten targets across the last two games.

Bucs ruled out TE Cameron Brate for Sunday’s game against Atlanta due to the concussion he suffered last Sunday night vs. the Chiefs.

Related Players: Cade Otton

Rookie Cade Otton should be in line to receive much of the tight end looks, after running a season-high 29 routes with Brate's departure in Week 4. He is worth a look in DFS main-slate lineups.