By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Each offseason brings change to NFL rosters, and those changes often have fantasy implications. Below, I lay out the changes at the skill positions and how those moves impact the fantasy status of the new roster.
2017
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QB: Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB: Peyton Barber, Doug Martin, Charles Sims, Jacquizz Rodgers
WR: Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Adam Humphries, Chris Godwin
TE: O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate
2018
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QB: Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB: Ronald Jones, Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers
WR: Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Adam Humphries, Chris Godwin, Justin Watson
TE: O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate
Pre-Draft Offseason:
The Buccaneers haven’t made any serious moves that will affect their fantasy players yet. They did let Doug Martin go, but he hasn’t been a fantasy player over the last two seasons. His departure would help Peyton Barber a lot, but the odds are very good that Tampa Bay will take a running back at some point in the 2018 NFL Draft, and with the draft being deep, that player could easily be starting Week 1.
Tampa Bay re-upped Jameis Winston and has a solid core of pass catchers, especially with Chris Godwin and O.J. Howard likely to see some improvement in their sophomore seasons. The passing game should be better, but I’m still not 100 percent sold on Winston’s ability to stay consistent.
Post-Draft Update
The Buccaneers went after a running back fairly early this year, as they took USC’s Ronald Jones early in the second round. He will quickly move into the lead-back role, although he will need to fend off Peyton Barber and Charles Sims to get a full workload. Jones can do that, but it might be tough to keep Sims away from third-down duties, as Jones likely needs work at pass protection and receiving. He has shown the ability to catch passes, but he wasn’t asked to do it much in college. I like his upside, but we might need to wait a while before he’s getting 20 touches a game.
Tampa Bay didn’t take another skill player until it grabbed Penn product Justin Watson at 144th overall. Being from a small school, he didn’t get invited to the combine, but he has ability and should be able to stick with the team.
The Bucs also beefed up their sagging defensive line with their first pick, Vita Vea, who should be an immediately impactful player. They also grabbed two defensive backs in the second round who should be able to improve that unit, which is all good news for Ronald Jones, as an improved defense should set him up for more early-down work in closer games.
2018 Fantasy Outlook:
Stud: Mike Evans
Solid: Ronald Jones, Jameis Winston
Sleeper: DeSean Jackson
For more recommendations, check out WalterFootball.com’s Fantasy Football Rankings.
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2018 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/5 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 8/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/21 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/21 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 8/21 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/18 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/30 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/27 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/23 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/22 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/16 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/9 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 8/2 (Walt)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 8/1 (Chet)
Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft - 7/26 (Walt)
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2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Articles:
2018 Fantasy Football Stock Report: OTAs, Training Camp - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Mid-Round Values - 9/5 (Walt)
2018 NFL Preseason Game Recaps - 8/31 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Preseason Games - 8/31 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football Notes - 8/31 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Quarterback Preseason Targets Tracker - 8/30 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football D/ST Drafting - 8/28 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football ADP Values: Running Backs - 8/16 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/15 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football ADP Values: Quarterbacks - 8/15 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Target - 8/9 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football - PPR Draft Strategy: Rounds 1 and 2 - 7/27 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Doug Baldwin's Value - 7/25 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Chris Hogan's Value - 7/18 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football: Alvin Kamara's Value - 7/16 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Tight Ends - 7/11 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Wide Receivers - 7/6 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Running Backs - 7/5 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Quarterbacks - 7/4 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Tight Ends Better Than ADP - 6/29 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Better Than ADP - 6/28 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Target Shares - 6/22 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Points Per Game - 6/13 (Chet)
2018 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator - 6/2
2018 Fantasy Football Value Players - 5/25 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Quarterback Look-Back - 1/28 (Walt)
2018 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with the Most Carries - 1/28 (Walt)
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2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 13
NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 12
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