The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 in a game that offers plenty of fantasy football intrigue.
Several players on both sides are worthy of a spot in your starting lineup on Sunday while others could be better left on the bench.
Fantasy Football start/sit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Start: Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving is a slam-dunk start against the Vikings. Tampa Bay will look to neutralize Minnesota’s ferocious pass rush, and also control the clock and keep the wall away from an explosive offense. That starts with Irving.
Irving has been the Bucs’ best player through two games, rushing for 5.4 yards per carry while adding 11 receptions. He should be the focal point of Tampa Bay’s offense both on the ground and through the air, and could be in for a huge day.
Sit: Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield has struggled to start the season, with two total touchdowns compared to four total turnovers.
He’s been sacked at least three times in each game, and he’s facing a Vikings pass rush that blitzes more than any defense in the NFL at a whopping 73% rate.
The game plan won’t be built for a lucrative day in the passing game, as the Bucs would ideally like to commit to the run game and quick, short passes. Mayfield likely won’t light up the stat sheet against Minnesota.
Start: T.J. Hockenson
Any tight end facing the Buccaneers is worth a spot in your starting lineup until further notice. Tampa Bay allowed Harold Fannin Jr. to record five catches for 54 yards last week. In the season opener, Mike Gesicki had five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
The Buccaneers will be without rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter, and Hockenson should dominate his matchups against Alex Anzalone, who has been the NFL’s worst linebacker through two weeks.
The Buccaneers allow the second-most fantasy points to tight ends, and there’s no reason to think that will stop in Week 3.
Sit: Buccaneers D/ST
The Buccaneers will be without their best defensive player in Josiah Trotter and facing a stacked offense that features Kyler Murray; Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, and Hockenson.
There’s simply too many players to account for, and the Vikings could have a field day against the Bucs unit that just made Deshaun Watson look like an All-Pro last week. Don’t count on Tampa Bay’s defense to do you any favors in fantasy football this week.
Sit: Aaron Jones
If there’s one the Buccaneers do well defensively, it’s stopping the run.
The Buccaneers currently rank No. 4 against the rush, allowing just 75 yards per game.
With Minnesota likely to air it out against the Bucs’ leaky pass defense, the running game could become an afterthought, and Jones could have a quiet day.
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