The NFL preseason is underway with the regular season right around the corner. As fantasy football managers gear up for the heart of fantasy draft season, it’s important to stay informed on the latest injury news. After two ankle surgeries, Chris Godwin remains without a return timeline. Is there still league-winning upside, or is he just a deep draft stash?
Chris Godwin Injury Update
Godwin’s 2024 campaign was derailed by a serious ankle injury midseason, followed by reconstructive surgery to address ligament damage. In the spring, he required a second “clean-up” procedure to aid the healing process. While initial hope was that he’d be cleared for Week 1, those plans have vanished.
Godwin has yet to practice during training camp, and there is no announced timetable for his return. The expectation among beat writers and team staff was that he will start the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which mandates a minimum four-game absence. However, on August 21, Adam Schefter reported the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are activating their WR2 off the PUP list.
Sources: Buccaneers plan to activate WR Chris Godwin off the Physically Unable to Perform list and have him on their 53-man roster to start the season, but only to begin his ramp-up process for games, not to immediately play in them. Godwin still is unlikely to play until October… pic.twitter.com/zGaaVeTRYc
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 21, 2025
While Godwin is still not going to be ready for Week 1, this move indicates he is not nearly as far away as the lack of news suggested. He still may be out the entirety of September, but missing half the season is not going to happen, barring a setback.
Godwin Fantasy Outlook
Before last year’s injury, Godwin was a fantasy star. Through his first seven games, he averaged 19.7 fantasy points per game, ranking as the WR2 in per-game scoring, which would have outpaced overall WR2 Puka Nacua (18.8 PPG) over the whole season. His skill set and chemistry with Baker Mayfield made him a strong fantasy starter when healthy.
CHRIS GODWIN OFF TO THE RACES
📺: #TBvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/EQOnPtCcfO— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
But double setbacks and extended time off the field are serious red flags, and the team’s depth chart is shifting fast. Now sidelined, rookie Emeka Egbuka has stepped into the WR2 role and is making a splash in preseason action.
Mike Evans, at 32, is the undisputed WR1, but Egbuka is now widely projected as the long-term alpha for the franchise. By the time Godwin returns, he could be battling a young breakout star for snaps and targets, not to mention fighting through age and another lower-body rehab.
MORE: Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Godwin is still best limited to a later round pick in leagues with multiple IR spots or extremely deep benches, and even then. The odds that he regains last year’s form and role, and stays healthy all season after returning, are still not nearly as high as they would be had Godwin never gotten hurt.
In traditional leagues, he is best left for someone else to draft or targeted only after you’ve locked up safer, more reliable options.
With a general sense of his return date now, fantasy managers can better plan for the veteran receiver’s absence. This also should serve to depress Egbuka’s rapidly rising ADP, making him more affordable as well. The rookie remains one of the best picks you can make in fantasy, even with the prospect of the Godwin’s October return.
