Tampa Bay approaches a pivotal moment in their season following a demoralizing home defeat to Los Angeles on Sunday Night Football. Baker Mayfield sustained a shoulder injury and was unable to continue after halftime. Will fantasy football managers have their quarterback available for this week’s critical matchup?
Baker Mayfield Injury Update
Mayfield’s shoulder issue occurred during the first half of Sunday night’s 34-7 loss to the Rams. The veteran departed at halftime and did not return to the contest. He was observed on the sidelines wearing a sling, sparking immediate concerns about the injury’s severity.
Fortunately, the injury involves his left shoulder rather than his throwing arm. X-rays returned 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 this season.
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 informed Adam Schefter that the Buccaneers “are not ruling out” Mayfield for Sunday’s game against Arizona.
AC joint sprains are painful injuries that typically necessitate one to two weeks of recovery. There would be no chance Mayfield could play if this were his right shoulder. Fortunately, it is not.
Mayfield did not practice on Wednesday. Buccaneers coaches indicated that Teddy Bridgewater will take the majority of first-team reps at practice this week. This represents a significant development in assessing Mayfield’s availability for Sunday’s contest.
Mayfield is an incredibly tough guy and can probably play if the team allows him. However, he told reporters on Wednesday that he needs to be smart about the situation. According to Rick Stroud, “Bucs QB Baker Mayfield says he has to realize while he wants to play, if sitting one game out helps him play the rest of the season, he has to be smart about it.”
The Buccaneers have been notoriously cautious with injuries this season, as demonstrated by their management of Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin. However, with just a half-game lead on Carolina for the division, they lack the luxury of patience.
The path to a fifth consecutive division title and sixth straight playoff appearance becomes substantially more difficult without Mayfield or with a compromised version of him on the field.
Reading the tea leaves based on Wednesday’s developments, it sounds like Teddy Bridgewater is going to make one start in Week 13 with Mayfield returning in Week 14. The decision to give Bridgewater the majority of first-team reps and Mayfield’s comments about being smart suggest the organization is leaning toward holding him out this week.
Mayfield will be limited at practice this week if he participates at all. It doesn’t sound like an extended absence for Tampa Bay’s signal-caller. His competitive nature and toughness are well-documented, but the team appears ready to err on the side of caution for one week.
Mayfield’s Fantasy Outlook
If Mayfield somehow plays, he would be looking to bounce back after a string of disappointing performances during the Buccaneers’ three-game losing streak. The offense has struggled tremendously, and the atmosphere in Tampa has reached a season low. The matchup against the Cardinals is not particularly imposing, providing an opportunity to right the ship.
However, all signs point to Mayfield sitting out Week 13. If he cannot go, 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 was not seeing the field and held the ball far too long.
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He will certainly be more prepared with a full week of practice knowing there is a possibility he starts. However, it would be a heavy downgrade for everyone on this offense, including Emeka Egbuka, Cade Otton, Chris Godwin, and the returning Bucky Irving.
Fantasy managers rostering Mayfield should prepare alternative options at quarterback for Week 13. The waiver wire likely offers streaming candidates who provide more upside than a compromised Mayfield or a Bridgewater-led Tampa Bay offense. However, do not drop Mayfield, as his return appears imminent for Week 14.