The Buccaneers are heading into Sunday night’s matchup with the Bears in pretty good shape, and their inactive list backs that up. The biggest name on Tampa Bay’s side is outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who will miss the primetime game in Chicago.
That absence was expected. Word came out earlier in the week that Diaby is dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, and Tampa Bay officially shut him down on its final injury report. With Diaby out, the Bucs will lean more on Rueben Bain Jr., David Walker, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Anthony Nelson to handle the edge work.
Tampa Bay does get a boost on offense with second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka back in the lineup after sitting out the wins over Carolina and Atlanta. That gives Baker Mayfield his full group of targets again as he and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson try to get the passing game moving and create more balance in the offense.
Egbuka’s production before the injury wasn’t eye-popping, but he still enters the game with team-leading numbers in several categories. Through six games, he has 28 catches on 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s only 3 yards behind Chris Godwin Jr. for the team lead. While Egbuka was out, Mayfield threw just 11 passes in the win over the Panthers and then went 0-for-3 in the rainy victory over the Falcons.
The Bucs also have a major piece back up front in Tristan Wirfs. The All-Pro left tackle showed up on the injury report Thursday with a toe issue and was limited in Friday’s practice, but he carries no injury designation into the weekend. He’s set to make his 100th regular season start with Tampa Bay in primetime.
Chicago, meanwhile, won’t be as healthy. Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad II was expected to return after missing last Monday night’s game in Seattle with a toe injury, but he ended up on the Bears’ inactive list anyway. That suggests he may not have felt right during pregame warmups.
Muhammad has been a bright spot in his first season, posting 21 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, five passes defensed and an interception through seven games. With him out, Tyrique Stevenson Sr. will be asked to shoulder more of the load, and he’s wearing a splint on his injured thumb.
The Bears will also be without No. 2 running back Kyle Monangai, who is missing his fifth straight game because of thumb and toe injuries. In his first four weeks, Monangai ran 60 times for 324 yards and three touchdowns.
Kickoff for the 3-5 Bucs and 6-2 Bears is set for 8:20 p.m. ET at Soldier Field.
In Other News...
Bucky Irving Faces A Run Defense That Could Define The Bucs
Bucky Irving has become a central piece of Tampa Bays rushing attack, giving the Buccaneers a more reliable ground game and helping balance an offense that has leaned on his burst and efficiency. He has averaged 5.0 yards per carry and has turned in multiple 100-yard games recently, a stretch that has made the run game look more like a strength than a supplement.
The next test comes against Chicago, and it is the kind of matchup that can say a lot about where this offense really stands. The Bears are giving up very few rushing yards overall, but they have been more vulnerable on a per-carry basis, and Tampa Bays improved offensive line will have to sort out a defensive front featuring players such as Devin Bush and Jeffery Simmons if Irving is going to keep the momentum going. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Backfield Suddenly Has A Sunday Night Fantasy Twist
Sunday nights matchup between the Buccaneers and Bears has a DFS feel to it, with the game setting up as the kind of spot where one overlooked role player can swing a lineup. Tampa Bays backfield is part of that conversation because Bucky Irving is drawing attention again, while the other side brings a running back in Kenny Gainwell who has quietly become relevant in the same conversation. Even the kickers are in play here, which says plenty about how tight this one could be from a fantasy standpoint.
Chase McLaughlin is getting a look as a captain option, and Cairo Santos belongs on the short list as well given the way both teams have been producing value through the kicking game. There is also room for Rome Odunze to matter if his usage keeps trending the right way, especially with the red-zone opportunities that can turn a modest snap count into a DFS difference-maker. For Buccaneers fans, the bigger question is whether this game stays in the range where the backfield and the special teams can decide more than the headline names. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers About To Face Chicago's Toughest Test Yet
Sunday nights matchup with Chicago comes with a little more intrigue than the usual prime-time measuring stick, because the Bears are being framed as a team that could push Tampa Bay in ways few opponents have managed this season. The case for Chicago starts with its defense, where Jeffery Simmons is being projected for a disruptive night up front, and it extends to a Bears offense that could finally find some rhythm against a Buccaneers unit that has generally been hard to crack.
The bigger question is whether Tampa Bay can answer with its own identity intact, especially if the Bears turn this into a game where the Bucs are forced out of their comfort zone. Colston Loveland is also being pegged for his best outing of the year, which would only add to the pressure on a Buccaneers defense already facing a tough test, and the outcome may hinge on whether Chicago can keep Bucky Irving from getting loose on the ground. [Read more 🡒]