Lions
Tampa Bay comes out of its Week 10 bye at 3-6 and travels to Ford Field for a 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff on Sunday, November 22 (7:00 p.m. CET), on FOX. DraftKings, via ESPN, has Detroit favored by 3.5 points with a total of 47.5. Lines move, and the first practice report of the week lands on Wednesday, so treat everything below as a snapshot from Thursday, November 12.
Key facts
- Tampa Bay (3-6) plays at the Detroit Lions (6-2) on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX.
- DraftKings via ESPN lists the Lions as 3.5-point favorites with a total of 47.5.
- Bucky Irving ran 20 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-24 loss at Chicago on November 8.
- Mayfield went 18 of 32 for 243 yards with two interceptions in Week 9, and the Bucs rank 32nd in passing offense on ESPN's team page.
- Detroit is 4-0 at home this season and allows 23.6 points per game, based on 189 points allowed in eight games.
The matchup
The Bucs are a run-first team by necessity. ESPN's team page ranks them first in rushing and 32nd in passing, and last time out they lost 27-24 at Chicago on Sunday Night Football despite five takeaways (four interceptions and a fumble recovery). Baker Mayfield threw for 243 yards and two interceptions, was sacked four times by FantasyData's count, and the offense converted just 2 of 12 third downs.
Detroit is 6-2 and 4-0 at home, with the league's fifth-best scoring offense on ESPN's team page (27.8 points per game). The defense has given up 189 points in eight games, which is 23.6 per game and 17th. In a 19-9 win at Miami on November 8, the Lions held the Dolphins to 228 total yards with three sacks and an interception. We could not verify Detroit's pass-defense or run-defense rankings from a readable source, so we make no claim about the matchup by position.
Buccaneers start/sit/flex
Bucky Irving, RB, start. Irving carried 20 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns in Chicago and added four catches for 28 yards. He is the engine of the offense with 167 carries for 825 yards and seven touchdowns this season. The one caution: buccaneers.com noted on November 10 that Todd Bowles wants to lighten his workload after 111 carries in the last five games. A smaller share is possible, but he remains an easy start.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, start (WR3). Egbuka caught 3 of 5 targets for 38 yards in Week 9 and has 31 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns on the year. He does not appear on ESPN's Buccaneers injury list as of November 12. He is a volume-dependent WR3 on an offense that throws little.
Baker Mayfield, QB, flex (QB2 range). Mayfield has 922 passing yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions on ESPN's season line, and JoeBucsFan counted seven turnovers in his six starts. A 47.5 total gives some volume upside if Tampa has to throw, but the floor is low. In one-QB leagues, he is a streaming-level option.
Chris Godwin Jr., WR, flex. Godwin saw three targets and caught two for 16 yards in Chicago, and he had one 12-yard carry. The target share has not recovered, so he is a flex at best.
Tez Johnson, WR, flex. Johnson caught 2 of 5 targets for 76 yards in Week 9, including a 58-yard gain. It was a one-play afternoon, and the role is unpredictable. Deep leagues only.
Cade Otton, TE, flex (streaming). Otton led the Bucs with eight targets in Week 9 and turned them into four catches for 25 yards. The volume is real, the yardage is not. Use him if your tight end is on a bye or injured.
Kenny Gainwell, RB, sit (deep PPR flex). Gainwell had five carries for 16 yards and three catches for 60 yards, including a 44-yard gain. That is one big play, not a role. He is a bench player unless Irving's workload gets cut sharply.
Sean Tucker, RB, sit. FantasyData lists no stats for Tucker in Week 9. There is nothing to start.
Chase McLaughlin, K, start. McLaughlin made all three field goals in Chicago (27, 21 and 35 yards). Tampa's drives stall often, and with a 47.5 total, kickers in this game see chances.
Buccaneers D/ST, sit. The defense produced four interceptions and a fumble recovery at Chicago, but only one sack, and it faces Detroit's top-five scoring offense on the road. Streaming is not worth a roster spot here.
Player | Position | Verdict | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
Bucky Irving | RB | Start | High |
Emeka Egbuka | WR | Start (WR3) | Medium |
Baker Mayfield | QB | Flex (QB2 range) | Low |
Chris Godwin Jr. | WR | Flex | Low |
Tez Johnson | WR | Flex (deep leagues) | Low |
Cade Otton | TE | Flex (streaming) | Low |
Kenny Gainwell | RB | Sit | Medium |
Sean Tucker | RB | Sit | Medium |
Chase McLaughlin | K | Start | Medium |
Buccaneers D/ST | DST | Sit | Medium |
Lions players to start against the Bucs
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, start. Gibbs has 847 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 177 carries, and he ran 20 times for 74 yards and a touchdown in Miami. Start him anywhere.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, start. He caught 8 of 10 targets for 86 yards at Miami and has 61 catches for 657 yards and five touchdowns. ESPN's injury page lists him as questionable after he was limited on November 11 with a rib issue, so check his status before kickoff.
Jared Goff, QB, flex. Goff has 2,134 yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions, but he managed 170 yards and no touchdowns in Miami. ESPN's injury page lists him as questionable with a chest issue. He is a QB2 until the status is clear.
Sam LaPorta, TE, flex. LaPorta had four catches for 32 yards on five targets in Miami. A workable streaming tight end, nothing more.
Jameson Williams, WR, sit. Williams had one catch for 31 yards on two targets in Week 9. The usage is too thin.
Waiver and streaming notes
The Bucs have little to offer on waivers. Johnson is the only skill player whose role could grow, and the evidence is one game. If you need a tight end, Otton's eight targets are the best Tampa Bay signal. Watch Irving: if the Bucs cut his carries after the bye, Gainwell and Tucker become relevant, but nothing in Week 9 shows that yet.
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