
Ian Hartitz goes position by position to break down everything you need to know for the Buccaneers fantasy football outlook for 2026.

The Buccaneers captured four consecutive NFC South titles from 2021 to 2024. A 6-2 start in 2025 sure made it seem like No. 5 was on the way, but Baker Mayfield and company struggled down the stretch, ultimately limping to an 8-9, second-place finish. This included a mediocre -31 point differential (9th in the NFC).
While there were flashes of high-end performance (remember those early-season Baker MVP chants?), this was most people's idea of a below-average squad by the end of the year.

New year, new Bucs, and a number of big-time changes were made to *hopefully* get this team back to looking like a real contender:
What follows is a fantasy-focused team preview of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2026 season. Make sure to check out our fantasy football rankings for updated player ranks all year long.
As always: It's a great day to be great.
Let's take a quick trip down memory lane and remember Baker Mayfield's last five NFL seasons:
In fact, that latter shoulder injury wasn't the only thing Mayfield was dealing with down the stretch of 2025. The full list is actually quite insane.
Will Baker Mayfield Bounce Back In 2026?
This didn't seem like much of a question entering last season. After all, Irving looked a lot like one of the league's best ball carriers throughout his rookie campaign, regularly dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and dodging would-be tacklers on his way to racking up 1,514 total yards and eight touchdowns.
Unfortunately, Irving suffered a sprained foot and AC joint in Week 4, issues that would sideline him for six games and seemingly limit him for the rest of the season. The impact was VERY apparent:
The shoulder issue required offseason surgery that still has Irving sidelined. Head coach Todd Bowles said in late May that Irving is expected to return sometime, "during summer or fall." That could simply be a broad range, and we see Irving back in action to start training camp … but it's not great!
Should You Draft Bucky Irving In 2026?
Emeka Egbuka's rookie season started off quite nicely. In fact …
Whether it was via silky smooth double-moves, taking the top off the defense with a deep post, or simply serving as a reliable underneath option, Egbuka looked the part of the next great Ohio State professional wide receiver for a good chunk of his rookie season.
Is Emeka Egbuka An Elite ADP Value In 2026?
Well, as an actual human being, yes. Absolutely. Don't be a dick.
But as a fantasy pick? Nah. Not really. Credit to the 27-year-old veteran for averaging 51.8 receptions for 504.5 yards and 2.8 touchdowns in four career seasons, but the only time we've really seen Otton make a major difference was when both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were injured during a three-game stretch in 2024. And hey, Otton peeled off 8-100-0, 9-81-2 and 8-77-1 receiving lines in that action; just realize he went 21 long, cold games afterwards before finding the end zone again.
Now, maybe Otton does flirt with a higher touchdown tally without the team's longtime 6-foot-5 monster around anymore, but man …
2025 Target share with Egbuka, Godwin, and Otton on the field—and Evans off:
Otton is understandably priced as the bread of his TE25-TE12-TE26 sandwich of finishes from the last three seasons. Let's agree to just be friends, and hey, maybe we'll see each other again on the waiver wire one day.
Win total prediction: Tampa Bay has won 9, 10 and 8 games in three seasons with Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield leading the way. There's reason for optimism considering the potential for better health on offense, and the defense also has room for growth with some young talent littered in the front seven and secondary alike. It'd be funny if the division (again) all finishes under .500, but I think the Bucs look like the division's most complete squad. Give me just over 8.5 wins.
Bold fantasy call: Emeka Egbuka is one of four different Ohio State wide receivers to catch triple-digit passes. He finishes as a top-10 receiver in full-PPR scoring.
Last season predictions: OVER 9.5 wins (whoops), and Mike Evans telling Father Time to f*ck off for another season and turning in another 1,000-plus yard, double-digit TD campaign (damn you, Father Time).



