Tampa Bay faces a critical juncture in their season following a devastating home loss to Los Angeles on Sunday Night Football. Baker Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury and couldn’t continue after halftime. Will fantasy football managers have their quarterback available for this week’s crucial matchup?
Baker Mayfield Injury Update
The shoulder problem occurred during the first half of Sunday night’s 34-7 defeat to the Rams. Mayfield departed at the break and didn’t return to action. He was spotted on the sidelines wearing a sling, raising immediate concerns about the severity.​
Fortunately, the injury affects his left shoulder rather than his throwing arm. X-rays came back negative for any fractures. Monday’s MRI revealed a minor sprain to his AC joint, similar to what Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been managing.​
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday that the MRI confirmed an AC joint sprain in Mayfield’s left shoulder but showed no additional damage. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport characterized it as a low-grade AC joint sprain in his non-throwing shoulder, calling it “good news”. Sources told Adam Schefter that the Buccaneers “are not ruling out” Mayfield for Sunday’s game against Arizona.​
These AC joint sprains are painful injuries that typically require one to two weeks of recovery. There’s no chance Mayfield could play if this were his right shoulder. Fortunately, it’s not.​
Mayfield ranks among the toughest players in the NFL and will undoubtedly push to suit up. The Bucs have been notoriously cautious with injuries this season, as evidenced by their handling of Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin. However, with just a half-game lead on Carolina for the division, they don’t have the luxury of patience.​
The path to a fifth straight division title and sixth consecutive playoff appearance becomes significantly more difficult without Mayfield or with a compromised version of him.​
Mayfield will be limited at practice this week if he participates at all. It doesn’t sound like an extended absence for the Bucs’ signal-caller. But knowing Mayfield’s competitive nature and toughness, he probably suits up this week.​
Mayfield’s Fantasy Outlook
If Mayfield plays, he’ll be looking to bounce back after a string of underwhelming performances during the Bucs’ three-game losing streak. The offense has struggled mightily, and the vibes in Tampa have hit a season low. The matchup against the Cardinals isn’t particularly imposing, providing an opportunity to right the ship.​
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If Mayfield can’t go, Teddy Bridgewater would start, which would represent an unmitigated disaster for this entire offense. Bridgewater looked completely lost filling in for Mayfield against the Rams. Granted, it was an unexpected entry into the contest against a ferocious Los Angeles defense, but Bridgewater wasn’t seeing the field and held the ball far too long.​
He’ll certainly be more prepared with a full week of practice knowing there’s a possibility he starts. However, it would be a heavy downgrade for everyone on this offense, including Emeka Egbuka, Cade Otton, and the aforementioned Irving and Godwin.
