Lions
Tampa Bay lost 27-24 at Chicago on Sunday night, and the passing game looked different from the weeks before. Baker Mayfield threw 32 times for 243 yards, a far cry from the three attempts against Atlanta, and the targets spread across seven players, according to ESPN's box score.
Key facts
- Chicago beat Tampa Bay 27-24 on November 8, 2026, dropping the Bucs to 3-6, per ESPN's box score.
- Tez Johnson caught 2 of 5 targets for 76 yards, while Cade Otton led the team with 8 targets for 4 catches and 25 yards.
- Bucky Irving rushed 20 times for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Kenny Gainwell caught 3 of 3 targets for 60 yards.
- Tampa Bay is on its Week 10 bye and next plays at Detroit on Sunday, November 22, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 p.m. CET).
- Jalen McMillan (knee) is on injured reserve and Bowles said he is unlikely to return right away after the bye, per ESPN's injury page.
The biggest change was at wide receiver. Tez Johnson played far more than at any point this season, and that is where this week's one real add comes from. Because Tampa Bay is on its bye in Week 10, anything you add is for Week 11, so you have a full waiver cycle to think about it. We could not find a source for current rostership percentages, so check your own league before bidding.
The add worth making
Tez Johnson, WR, add in most leagues. Johnson caught 2 of 5 targets for 76 yards, per ESPN. Footballguys has him at 54 offensive snaps (79%), up from 25 (42%) a week earlier and 41 (65%) in Week 7. [CHECK: Week 9 snap count comes from one source, Footballguys.] His Week 7 figure of 41 snaps is also reported by The Fantasy Footballers, and buccaneers.com wrote about his rising playing time in its Week 8 depth chart piece.
The honest caveat is that two catches is a thin base, and Johnson now sits in a passing game that targeted Chris Godwin Jr. (3), Emeka Egbuka (5) and Johnson (5) about evenly. Egbuka was back after missing two games with a concussion and a foot issue, and caught 3 of 5 targets for 38 yards. If Egbuka and Godwin stay healthy, Johnson's snap share could shrink. Add him as a bench WR or flex option in PPR and deeper leagues, and spend a modest bid, not a large one.
A streaming option
Cade Otton, TE, streamer in leagues where he is available. Otton had a team-high 8 targets, turned into 4 catches for 25 yards, per ESPN. Footballguys lists him on the field for all 68 of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps (100%) and for 95% or more in most weeks of the season. [CHECK: Week 9 snaps, single source.]
The volume is reliable, and the yardage is not. Eight targets for 25 yards is a low per-target return, so he is a floor-based tight end, best in PPR. If your tight end is empty or on bye, he is a sensible stream. If you already have a top-six tight end, leave him.
Who to leave alone
Kenny Gainwell, RB. Gainwell had only 5 carries for 16 yards, but caught all 3 of his targets for 60 yards, per ESPN, on 26 snaps (38%), per Footballguys. That is a useful PPR role behind Bucky Irving, who handled 20 carries for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns and played 47 snaps (69%). Gainwell was already rostered widely enough to appear in our Week 7 piece, so he may not be available. He is a flex, not a must-add.
Ted Hurst III and Sean Tucker. Footballguys shows Hurst on the field for 1 snap (1%) after 25 the week before, and Tucker for none. Neither is an add. [CHECK: single source.]
Baker Mayfield. No touchdown passes and two interceptions, per ESPN. Hold, do not add as a streamer.
Next week: the bye, then at Detroit
Tampa Bay (3-6) is off in Week 10. The Bucs then visit the Lions at Ford Field on Sunday, November 22, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 p.m. CET), per our schedule data. ESPN's team page lists Detroit at 6-2, and the Lions play a game in Munich on November 15 before this one. [CHECK: Lions record after that game.] We did not research the Lions' offense or defense in depth.
Buccaneers D/ST, hold, not a stream. The unit had 4 interceptions in Chicago (Zyon McCollum 2, Tykee Smith, Alex Anzalone) but only 1 sack, per ESPN, and allowed 27 points. Against a team at 6-2 on the road, we would not pick it up on this evidence. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. left the game with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable, per ESPN's injury page, which matters for the unit's outlook.
Chase McLaughlin, K, hold. He went 3 for 3 on field goals, long of 35, and 1 for 1 on extra points, per ESPN. A kicker is fine to hold, but we do not see a reason to stream him on one week of data.
One injury note: Jalen McMillan (knee) is on injured reserve, and Todd Bowles said he is unlikely to return right away after the bye, per ESPN. That helps the case for Johnson keeping a role.
The summary: Johnson is the one add, Otton is a stream, and everyone else is a hold. Use the bye to check the injury report before the Detroit game.
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