The Bucs had a roller-coaster of a season in 2025 for a litany of reasons. From the injuries to the missed plays and even the under-performance of key players, it all led to them falling apart to end the year despite their early success.
One of those injuries was to Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, and while it hindered him and the team in 2025, it seems to be behind him heading into 2026. As a result, it has made him a bit of a value in fantasy football, according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay.
Kay writes, “Baker Mayfield may have finished as a top-12 QB in each of the last three seasons, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ veteran signal-caller is still slipping to the latter portion of 2026 fantasy drafts. Although Mayfield is coming off his worst season in Tampa, he still put up a solid 282.9 points on the year. He was trending towards a third consecutive top-10 finish before suffering an injury in Week 12, and while that AC joint sprain didn’t cause him to miss any time, it hindered his ability to push the football down the field. Prior to that shoulder issue popping up, Mayfield was averaging 18.5 points per game and had posted five top-10 weekly finishes—including back-to-back QB7 showings coming out of the Bucs’ Week 9 bye.”
Mayfield’s ADP right now is 119 and is the 19th quarterback taken at that spot. Both of those added to Kay’s argument and pair well with it, creating a lull in Mayfield’s value. When healthy, like he is heading into 2026, he could easily outperform that draft range.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs QB named among those who could be a value in fantasy
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
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By Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire | USA TODAY Network
