If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to get to 5-1 and secure the top seed in the NFC, it will have to happen without some key players in the mix.
Mike Evans and Bucky Irving were already ruled out for Sunday's game, but they've been joined by both Chris Godwin and Zyon McCollum. It's hard to overstate just how hard the injury torpedo has slammed into the side of Tampa Bay's season, but the ship isn't leaking the way it otherwise should be.
Despite missing important players, the Bucs are 4-1 and in a position to move into the top spot in the NFC and live among the very best teams in the entire league. Much of the credit goes to Baker Mayfield for his heroic performances this year, all of which have started to add up to a potential MVP campaign.
Tampa Bay will need more of that this week as injuries are once again making things even harder than they already are.
Full inactives list for Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6 vs. 49ers
Here's everyone who won't be suiting up for the Bucs this Sunday against the Niners:
Player | Position | Injury |
|---|---|---|
Mike Evans | WR | Hamstring |
Bucky Irving | RB | Foot/Shoulder |
Chris Godwin | WR | Fibula |
Benjamin Morrison | CB | Hamstring |
Joshua Williams | RB |
Godwin was a surprise addition to the injury heap this week, as a fibula issue kept him from practicing. It's unfortunately a new injury, unrelated to the leg injury that ended his season early last October.
He joins Evans and Irving as essential players who are missing, which means the spotlight will be on Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson more than ever before. We already know Emeka Egbuka is a stud and Rachaad White has wasted almost no time in reminding everyone how good he is, but they can only do so much.
Defensively, things are just as grim. Jamel Dean is back after missing last week, but Zyon McCollum was the latest key player to suffer an injury that throws his status into doubt. He'll miss today's action with a hand injury, and Benjamin Morrison won't play either.
That means Dean will have to lead the secondary in ways we've all been hoping he might but hasn't been able to so far this season. What better day to change that than today?
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