Trouble In Tampa? Injured O-Lineman Could Impact Bucs' Fantasy Football Production

As a fantasy newsletter, we spend most of our time discussing … fantasy-relevant players.

I’m certainly guilty of knowing an embarrassingly low number of defensive players (“Uhhh, does Travis Hunter count????).

But sometimes we are forced to grapple with the impact of a non-skill position player on our precious fantasy selections.

That’s exactly where we are at right now with the Tampa Bay Bucs after it was announced that their All Pro LT Tristan Wirfs—one of the best tackles in the league—recently underwent surgery on his right knee. He’s now likely to open the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, which would sideline him for a minimum of four games.

Let me be clear, this is not a good thing. Baker Mayfield had the seventh-worst pressure-to-sack ratio in 2024 and now he will be expected to face even more pressure without Wirfs.

But I’m not really sure this should actually be impacting our drafting decisions.

Wirfs isn’t done for the season and last I checked fantasy leagues run for 17 weeks (18, if you play with really sick individuals). It’s not like the entire passing game is going to zero. Our fantasy teams can pretty easily survive four weeks of Baker scrambling slightly more than usual and taking a couple extra sacks.

Yesterday, Dwain shared that he has 36% exposure to Bucs rookie WR Emeka Egbuka. Do you think he’s worried about the first four weeks?

“While Egbuka isn't a player we probably won't want in our early-season lineups, he has a lot of reasonable outs that could make him a highly valuable fantasy asset as the season progresses.”

I doubt it.

This is likely to be a nothing burger in the grand scheme of a fantasy season. If the market wants to give us discounts on an exciting offense, however, I am very much here for it.

WHERE ARE THE BUCS’ WIDE RECEIVERS BEING DRAFTED?

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Is Puka Nacua Somehow … Underrated?

Underrated may not be the best word, but underappreciated certainly fits the bill.

After a record-setting 2023 rookie season and better numbers in Year 2 (90.0 yards per game vs. 87.4), Nacua’s yardage accumulation is on par with Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson through their first two seasons.

Chase and Jefferson are now the top two WRs off the board in drafts, often going within the first three overall picks. In Year 3, Jefferson topped 1,800 yards with 128 receptions, while Chase is fresh off a 127-catch, 1,708-yard Year 4.

All that to say—what’s stopping Nacua from putting up similar Year 3 numbers after pacing so similarly through his first two years? Great question …

WHY PUKA NACUA IS A VALUE IN 2025

Trivia Time! Remember When This RB Was Drafted?

We’re back with more trivia. Here’s today’s question (answer will come in tomorrow’s newsletter):

Question: The Running Back position is so back, baby! We had a running back selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft for the second time in the past three seasons. Before Ashton Jeanty and Bijan Robinson, who was the last running back to be selected that early?

Josh Jacobs
Saquon Barkley
Jonathan Taylor
Todd Gurley

Meanwhile, here are some running backs that can help you early in the Guillotine Leagues^TM season.

RUNNING BACKS TO HELP YOU AVOID THE CHOP

Zero QB In Scott Fish Bowl? Seriously?

There are crazier things in life. Tight rope walking over the Grand Canyon. Playing patty cake with a hungry bear—not the ones in Chicago. Eating wings so hot your mouth resembles summer in Arizona.

Yet trying a Zero QB strategy in the Scott Fish Bowl, the biggest fantasy football tournament in the world—is pretty, pretty, pretty loco. Did we mention it’s superflex? Well, the scoring is insanity, and roster constructions are like snow flakes. Kendall Valenzuela took on this task. Let’s see how she did.🐠🎣

KENDALL DID END UP TAKING AN OLD FRIEND AT QB

Around the Watercooler

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