Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mickens has now seen action from scrimmage in five straight games, but four of those counts have been in the single digits and have resulted in just two receptions for 22 yards (Week 5). However, the fourth-year wideout continues to be a steady presence on returns, with Sunday's tally giving Mickens a career-best 164 kick-return yards on the campaign (23.4 yards per return).

Jensen drew a questionable designation due to an elbow injury suffered in Week 15. However, he was able to practice fully for consecutive days to end the week, rendering this decision relatively unsurprising. He has yet to miss a snap this season.

Nunez-Roches came off the bench for Tampa last season, recording nine tackles on 293 defensive snaps in 16 games. He'll probably end up in a depth role again, but he could get a shot at a starting job if the Bucs don't sign a replacement for free agent Ndamukong Suh. There hasn't been any indication that Nunez-Roches' foot injury from Week 17 was serious.

As a new arrival, Brown had to first produce negative COVID-19 tests for five consecutive days to satisfy league protocols, making Wednesday the first day he was able to enter the facility. Pending his reinstatement by the league after Week 8, Brown will be eligible to make his team debut Week 9 against the Saints. Since Brown is still serving the final week of an eight-game suspension, he will be limited to working out on side field for the next few days before joining the main group next Wednesday, the first official day of Week 9 prep. Brown could have a substantial role in that contest if Chris Godwin still isn't ready to return from the index finger surgery he required earlier this week.

David finished second on his squad in tackles only behind Devin White. This marks the second straight week that David has recorded eight tackles. Through seven contests, he's collected 55 tackles (41 solo), 1.5 sacks and an interception.

Evans has struggled to get healthy over the past two seasons, as his 2018 season ended with a foot injury and his 2019 campaign never started due to an Achilles injury. He's dealing with his 2018 foot injury again, however, and he'll need to wait until at least November to return to the lineup. Even when he's healthy, the 2017 second-round pick will likely be eased back into action, as it'll be his first time in a game in nearly two years. Antoine Winfield and Jordan Whitehead are expected to be the Buccaneers' starting safeties this season.

Pinion served as the 49ers' starting punter each of the last four years, and boasts a career average of 43.7 yards per punt. With Bryan Anger having been released by Tampa Bay, Pinion has a clear path to the starting job in 2019.

Cockrell was expected to sign with the Giants back in August, but the 29-year-old cornerback refused to sign the tabled offer. He instead inked a deal with the Buccaneers' practice squad, and now he'll make his first appearance on the active roster. Cockrell played 14 games for the Panthers in 2019 and recorded 62 tackles, eight pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing a 68.6 passer rating when targeted.

Whitehead sandwiched Thursday's missed session between a pair of limited practices, but he apparently showed enough to be kept off the final injury report. The safety should be out there on game day as the Buccaneers try to slow down an explosive Packers offense that's averaging a league-high 38.0 points per game.

Joseph started 14 games with the Browns in 2018 and had two appearances with the Titans last season. He'll now serve an emergency role on Tampa Bay's practice squad, where he could be called upon for action if Ryan Succop ends up missing any time.

Minter is set to return for a third straight season as a depth option in Tampa Bay's linebacker corps. He started four games in 2019 while Devin White battled injuries, during which span he notched an impressive 30 total tackles and two defended passes.

Jenna Laine of ESPN.com confirms Godwin fractured his index finger on his fourth-quarter touchdown reception in Sunday's win over the Raiders and will be forced to miss Week 8 at minimum. Gronkowski has only generated a combined 4-82 line on 10 targets over the three prior games Godwin has missed this season with a concussion and a hamstring injury, but he's shown clear signs of being back to full football shape and having a firm grasp of coach Bruce Arians' offense of late. The multi-time Pro Bowler well head into Monday night's contest riding the wave of his best two-game stretch as a Buccaneer, as he posted 10 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers and Raiders in Weeks 7 and 8, respectively.

Jenna Laine of ESPN.com confirms Godwin fractured his index finger on his fourth-quarter touchdown reception in Sunday's win against Las Vegas and will be forced to miss Week 8 at minimum. Miller is coming off an impressive six-catch, 109-yard, one-touchdown effort versus the Raiders, and he's likely to bump up to No. 2 on the depth chart with Godwin out Monday night and Antonio Brown (suspension) not yet eligible to play. Miller has played in two of the other three games Godwin has missed this season with a concussion and a hamstring injury, posting a 5-83-1 line against the Chargers in one of those contests Week 4.

The 23-year-old was elevated from the practice squad as an extra player for Thursday's loss to the Bears, but he didn't suit up and is now back off the active roster. Pearson signed with Tampa Bay as a UDFA in April and is still looking to make his NFL debut.

Jenna Laine of ESPN.com confirms Godwin fractured his index finger on his fourth-quarter touchdown reception in Sunday's win over the Raiders and will be forced to miss Week 8 at minimum. Evans has logged just four targets combined over the last pair of contests as he struggles to overcome a lingering ankle injury, but the combination of Godwin's absence and the extra day to heal up ahead of the Week 8 contest should leave him poised for a boost in opportunity and production. In the three games Godwin has already missed this season due to a concussion and a hamstring injury, Evans has notably eclipsed 100 yards receiving in two of them and logged a combined 27 targets overall.

The signing of O'Connor comes after the Buccaneers placed Blaine Gabbert (shoulder) on injured reserve and needed to sign someone to take his spot on the roster. O'Connor, a 2017 seventh-round pick, has not played since his rookie season.

Smith upgraded to full participation Friday, so he's prepared to start at left tackle in Sunday's divisional matchup. He's started all but one game since being selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Carmen Vitali of the Buccaneers' official site previously reported the heralded rookie first-round pick had looked every bit the part in Friday's practice while moving around particularly well in run blocking, but that was a non-padded, non-contact session. Stroud notes coach Bruce Arians remarked after Monday's practice that Wirfs needed to get his pad level down after just standing straight up in last week's practices, a tweak which the talented Iowa product should be able to implement in short order. Wirfs won't have the benefit of preseason games to prepare for the starting right tackle job, but he'll nevertheless receive a formidable on-field tutorial while facing the Buccaneers' array of talented pass rushers daily between now and a Week 1 date with the Saints on Sept. 13.

Barner is currently on the practice squad, but he's been elevated for each of the Buccaneers' last two games. The team's backfield depth is iffy with Leonard Fournette (ankle) and LeSean McCoy (ankle) battling injuries, so the Bucs could bring in another running back on the practice squad.

The rookie safety recorded his first career interception at a key moment in the contest, picking off Derek Carr at the Raiders' 40-yard line with 7:09 remaining and the Buccaneers trying to protect an 11-point lead. The turnover set up Tom Brady and company at Las Vegas' 24-yard line following Winfield's 16-yard return and would directly lead to a touchdown for Tampa Bay two plays later, a score that essentially sealed the win. Winfield continued to log a heavy workload with a 98.0 percent snap share Sunday, and he's quickly proven a well-rounded IDP option with 37 total tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, four pass breakups and Sunday's interception.

Pierre-Paul was limited for the first two practices of the week and sat out Friday's session altogether, but he's been given a green light for Week 7. The veteran defensive end has been dominant to start the 2020 season, racking up 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles through six contests. and he'll look to exploit a depleted Raiders offensive front Sunday.

The speedy running back/returner will see his 2020 campaign end before it even begins, as Logan's placement on IR before final roster cuts means he's ineligible to return during the coming season. Logan's biggest contributions were expected to come in the return game, as the 25-year-old saw only five touches on offense through 12 games last season but did compile 396 combined yards on kickoff and punt runbacks as part of 206 special-teams snaps overall.

The reserve receiver saw some action from scrimmage Week 6 and also has logged time as a returner this season, but he'll be in street clothes with the Bucs' receiving corps at full health Sunday.

Davis has yet to suit up in any game action this season due to the ankle injury, but he now appears on track to make his NFL debut. Expect the team to slowly work back Davis from the injury, as he'll likely work in a rotational role at linebacker for Sunday's game against the Raiders.

Wilkins was regularly a part of the Buccaneers' 53-man roster in 2019, but he was often inactive on game day. That could be his fate once again in Week 1 against the Saints, as the team's secondary is relatively healthy.

The second-year cornerback tied Carlton Davis for the team lead in tackles on his way to a season-high figure in that category. Murphy-Bunting has yet to record an interception after notching three during his rookie 2019 campaign, as he's struggled early on in coverage by allowing an 80.0 percent completion rate and a pair of touchdowns on the 10 passes in which he's been the primary defender.

The second-year linebacker terrorized the Raiders offense, and Derek Carr in particular, all afternoon, posting a single-game career high in sacks while recording double-digit stops for the second straight week. White also forced his first fumble of the season for good measure, as he continued to bounce back from an atypical two-game slump in Weeks 4 and 5 during which he managed just seven combined stops. White will look to continue his current surge against the very porous Giants offensive line and the mistake-prone Daniel Jones in a Week 8 Monday night matchup.

The 27-year-old received the questionable tag after being limited at practice throughout the week, but the hamstring issue won't impact his availability for Sunday. Adams played six defensive snaps in the season opener but has exclusively played special teams in the past five games.

Stinnie serves as depth along the Buccaneers' offensive line. However, with the team relatively healthy, he won't be needed and will hope to make his season debut in Week 2 against the Panthers.

After going unclaimed on waivers, Rosen apparently could've signed with an active roster elsewhere, but he chose to restart his career in a good situation in Tampa Bay. With head coach Bruce Arians and legendary QB Tom Brady, Rosen stands to learn a lot as a practice squad member with the Buccaneers, and he can be patient as he develops before seeking a new team.

Franklin was placed on season-ending injured reserve before the full severity of his knee issue was revealed. The 25-year-old's rehab process should leave him with ample time to return to full health for 2021.

Ledbetter continues his struggle to find a permanent home in the league, as he will look for his fourth home in three seasons. The former sixth-round pick did not play in a single contest for the Ravens this season.

This was expected after it was announced Sunday that Howard had suffered a ruptured Achilles. Howard had 11 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns before suffering the injury. Cameron Brate stands to pick up Howard's snaps the rest of the way.

With Leonard Fournette fielding 11 carries behind Ronald Jones' team high of 13, the rookie back was afforded no offensive opportunities during Week 7. Vaughn racked up 42 rushing yards on five carries against Green Bay during a Week 6 rout, but with both veteran backs healthy against Las Vegas, the Vanderbilt product was limited to special-teams usage only. Unless Tampa Bay's Week 8 road trip to face the Giants becomes a one-sided affair, Vaughn will likely be relegated to an obsolete role in the offense.

Jones came into the contest riding the wave of three consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts, and although he fell considerably short of the century mark Sunday, he still managed to salvage the day for fantasy managers with a one-yard run with 6:40 remaining in the contest. However, it's worth noting the returning Leonard Fournette (ankle) made a significant impact on Jones' workload in his return, with the former Jaguar logging just two fewer carries and outpacing Jones in the passing game by five targets. Therefore, the workload split between the two will be one to continue to monitor in a Week 8 Monday night matchup against the Giants.

The 2019 third-round pick jumped Davante Adams' out route on the left side of the field late in the second quarter and returned the resulting interception 32 yards for a touchdown to notch the first six of the Buccaneers' 38 unanswered points. While it was the first interception of the season for Dean, he already has six defensed passes overall and has also surpassed his 2019 tally of 21 stops by seven tackles in seven fewer games. Much like fellow corner Carlton Davis, Dean is developing into a disruptive force in a Buccaneers defense that's rather quietly surrendering the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (217.7) thus far in 2020.

Shipley played for head coach Bruce Arians in Arizona, and now he's poised to be Ryan Jensen's backup center in 2020.

Vea suffered a broken leg Thursday, an injury he won't be able to recover from this season. It's a major loss for the Buccaneers, as the 2018 first-round pick has handled a major workload and produced two sacks through the first five games. If the recovery goes as planned, Vea should be ready to begin the 2021 campaign. Rakeem Nunez-Roches is expected to start at nose tackle moving forward.

Wells spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars before signing a one-year deal with Tampa Bay last offseason. He ended up suiting up for 13 games and starting two of them. The veteran projects to provide depth at tackle in 2020.

Gholston's sack was his second of the season following a takedown of the Panthers' Teddy Bridgewater in Week 2. The veteran defensive lineman is on pace for one of his more productive seasons in quite some time, as he currently projects for 48 tackles and approximately seven sacks, with the former his highest tally since 2016 and the latter a career-best figure.

McCoy had just received his second-highest snap count of the season (19) in Week 6 against the Packers, but that had come with Fournette inactive. Sunday, coach Bruce Arians opted to utilize Fournette in a change-of-pace and nickel-situation role in place of McCoy, with the former proving he was up to the task with 97 yards from scrimmage on 17 total touches (11 carries, six receptions). Arians went as far as saying "Leonard is our nickel back now" following the game, leading to speculation McCoy could serve as an occasional healthy scratch moving forward as long as the rest of the backfield is available.

Though Godwin wasn't forced to exit early Sunday in the Buccaneers' 45-20 win over the Raiders, the wideout apparently sustained the injury on his touchdown catch with 7:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. He finished the contest with nine receptions for 88 yards on nine targets while playing 59 of the Bucs' 72 offensive snaps. According to Stroud, Godwin's surgery went without a hitch and his prognosis is good, leaving the Buccaneers optimistic he'll be ready to return to action Week 9 against the Saints. If that's the case, Godwin would be rejoining a pass-catching group that includes the newly signed Antonio Brown, who is expected to be reinstated from his suspension at the conclusion of Week 8.

Davis stands to resume handling his usual every-down role at left cornerback now that he's back in action.

Cappa resumed practicing in full Thursday. He'll draw his usual start at right guard.

The second-year pro saw his first action from scrimmage of the season after being limited to special teams over the first pair of contests. Edwards logged 42 snaps overall on defense and made good use of them while working as part of the safety rotation, notching his first career interception off Brett Rypien at the Bucs' one-yard line with 3:46 remaining. Given his solid performance Sunday, it's possible Edwards gets more opportunities on defense working in nickel and dime packages in coming games.

Haeg spent the first three years of his career as a starter with the Colts, though he was limited to a reserve role in 2019. He'll add valuable versatility to the Buccaneers' offensive line, having started games at both tackle and guard in his career.

With Ryan Griffin among the Buccaneers' list of inactives for Week 2, Gabbert is expected to serve as the emergency option at quarterback. The No. 10 overall draft choice from 2011 will be thrust into game action should Tom Brady suffer an injury.

Griffin remains the No. 3 QB behind Tom Brady and Blaine Gabbert, so he'll likely remain inactive unless one of the aforementioned gets hurt.

Smith was limited during Wednesday's practice with the ankle issue, but as evidenced by this news, he wasn't in jeopardy of missing Week 1. Now healthy, Smith is set to operate as Carlton Davis' primary backup at left cornerback.

The 23-year-old had a visit with the Buccaneers last week and is now rejoining the team's practice squad. Ware was on the practice squad last year but was waived in early August after being activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The big defensive tackle took down old nemesis Aaron Rodgers for his third sack of the season, renewing acquaintances with his old NFC North rival from Suh's days with the Lions. Suh's three QB takedowns through six games currently have him on pace to tie the third-best tally (eight) of his career in that category, one season after he posted a career-low 2.5 but offset it with a career-high two touchdowns and four fumble recoveries. Suh's single-game tackle numbers rarely go above five these days, but he always offers the possibility of wreaking havoc in the pocket with his athleticism and potentially producing a turnover.

The 27-year-old made his NFL debut with the Buccaneers last year and had a 30-yard reception in his lone appearance, but he was waived at roster cutdowns in September. McElroy provides potential depth at tight end with O.J. Howard (Achilles) on injured reserve.

The towering tight end made an impressive grab on his one catch, his second of the season overall. Hudson played on just two snaps from scrimmage overall, however, although that was only 10 fewer than position mate Cameron Brate, the player directly above him on the depth chart. Hudson does have an intriguing size/athleticism combination, so it remains to be seen if he makes a legitimate run at Brate's No. 2 role at some point during the second half of the season.

The versatile linebacker applied solid pressure on Derek Carr on multiple occasions as well while tying his second-highest tackle total of the campaign. Barrett has just three sacks through seven games after posting a league-high and career-best 19.5 in 2019, but that's not exactly surprising when factoring in that offensive coordinators are naturally devising protection schemes with him specifically in mind.

Making his return from what essentially amounted to a three-game absence -- Fournette played all of one snap in Week 5 and missed Weeks 4 and 6 altogether -- Fournette was very efficient on a per-carry basis while pacing the Buccaneers ground attack in rushing yardage. Fournette's backfield mate Ronald Jones still received two more carries, but Fournette's extensive involvement in the passing game was particularly noteworthy and could certainly help him continue to eat into Jones' playing time. The way the Tampa Bay backfield workload is split in a Week 8 Monday night showdown versus the Giants will be particularly worth monitoring.

The nine-point effort for Succop was certainly solid and represented a maximizing of his opportunities, but for the second consecutive contest, the Buccaneers' extreme offensive efficiency under Tom Brady's stewardship capped the veteran kicker's overall fantasy upside. Succop has seen just two field-goal attempts and a whopping 11 extra-point tries over that span, a stark contrast to a Week 5 loss to the Bears when he was able to successfully hit all four of his three-point chances. Nevertheless, at least Tampa Bay is consistently putting Succop in position to compile points, and he's largely made good by posting an 84.6 percent success rate on field goals and a 96.2 percent figure on point-after attempts.

It appears the injury Marpet is nursing is minor. If the Hobart product doesn't have a setback Friday, he'll be a good bet for Week 11 against the Saints.

Auclair has been out since Week 2 when he suffered the calf injury in a win over the Panthers. The team will need to officially activate him in order for Auclair to suit up, but this news confirms that the Laval product will return in the next three weeks. The Buccaneers could use the depth at tight end since O.J. Howard was ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

It's unclear what type of injury Simpson is dealing with. The Richmond product wound up on the Buccaneers' injured reserve Sunday after clearing waivers, but now he must focus on getting healthy and finding another opportunity elsewhere.

The rookie seventh-rounder has spent the season on the Buccaneers' practice squad, but he's received a promotion following news that Jack Cichy (hamstring) has been placed on IR. Cichy played strictly on special teams over the first five games, so Russell likely will handle a similar role. If he performs well enough, Russell has a chance to retain a spot on the 53-man roster even when Cichy returns.

The undrafted free agent out of Montana State signed with the Buccaneers in April but suffered a quadriceps injury and was eventually waived by the team with an injury tag. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound wideout is healthy now and will rejoin the team. During his final collegiate season, Jonsen produced 1,106 yards from scrimmage (580 receiving, 526 rushing) and nine total touchdowns.

Watson accumulated seven combined receptions for 94 yards between Weeks 1 and 4, but since sitting out a Thursday night loss to Chicago with injury he's attracted zero targets over Tampa Bay's past two games. The Penn standout registered 15 receptions for 159 yards in 16 appearances for the Jameis Winston-led Buccaneers last year, and so far his seven-catch, 94-yard stat line is on a similar trajectory through seven weeks of the 2020 campaign.

The 24-year-old appeared in six of seven games for the Bucs this season but exclusively played special teams. Bell could join the team's practice squad if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Hurst was waived by Tampa Bay on Tuesday, but he'll now return to the team's practice squad for a chance to continue developing with the coaching staff. In a corresponding move, fellow wideout Isaac Whitney was cut from the practice squad.

Brady was masterful in putting together his second 369-yard effort of the campaign, completing a season-best 73.3 percent of his attempts in the process. The future Hall of Famer spread the wealth Sunday, hitting Rob Gronkowski, Scotty Miller, Chris Godwin and Tyler Johnson from five, 33, four and one yard, respectively. Prior to his aerial assault, he opened the scoring for the Buccaneers with his one-yard sneak to cap off a 10-play, 77-yard first-quarter drive. Brady won't yet have the services of Antonio Brown (suspension) in a Week 8 Monday night, Nov. 2 matchup against the Giants, but given how he's proven capable of thriving with his existing weapons when they're at full strength, the fantasy ceiling for the 21-year veteran and the Tampa offense in general may be virtually limitless if the mercurial receiver lives up to his stellar on-field reputation.

Nelson has missed six games with the injury. He'll return to provide the Buccaneers depth at linebacker Week 16.

The undrafted rookie out of Boise State will add depth on the offensive line once he's healthy.

McLendon turned in a productive performance in his first game with the Buccaneers, with the veteran validating coordinator Todd Bowles' endorsement of the trade that brought him over from the Jets a week earlier. McLendon had experience with Bowles' defensive scheme when both were with the Jets, and that solid foundation is expected to continue helping him fill the void created by the absence of Vita Vea (IR-ankle).

Bailey managed to survive the final roster cut with Tampa Bay in 2019, but a broken foot caused him to hit injured reserve Week 6. Now healthy, he'll get a shot to compete for the top backup spot at guard during training camp.

Brate logged just 12 snaps from scrimmage overall, which constituted 17 percent of Tampa Bay's offensive plays on the day. The veteran's playing time was at its lowest point since prior to O.J. Howard's season-ending Achilles tear, so it remains to be seen if Sunday's usage was merely an outlier or the start of a longer-term trend. What is more certain is that the target share of the remaining members of Tampa Bay's pass-catching corps will take a hit once Antonio Brown (suspension) hits the field Week 9 or beyond, and a player already struggling for looks such as Brate could well see his role diminish further.

Johnson has had an interesting rookie season, one that saw him inactive for the first two games of the campaign, target-less for the subsequent pair of contests and in the end zone twice on just seven catches over the last three. The 2020 fifth-round pick was at his busiest in Week 5 against the Bears, one of three games Godwin has already missed this season, posting a 4-61 line on six targets. While it remains to be seen if Johnson will see the same volume versus New York, he should slot into the No. 3 receiver role with Scotty Miller bumping up to No. 2 in Godwin's stead.

The big-bodied defensive tackle went undrafted in April and spent time with the Titans earlier in the season. Smith played his college ball at South Carolina, where he posted 84 tackles (38 solo), seven tackles for loss and two sacks across 35 games over four seasons. With Vita Vea (IR-ankle) lost for the season, Smith would appear to stand a decent chance of being promoted to the active roster at some point this season if he performs well with the practice squad.

Cichy won't be eligible to return until Week 9 against the Saints, but the team believes he has a good chance to be activated by then. The Wisconsin product has battled with injuries since being drafted in 2018, missing a combined 22 games over the previous two campaigns. He's played strictly on special teams this season.