Thu Dec 11 5:39pm ET
Field Level Media
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suddenly find themselves in desperate need of a victory when the Atlanta Falcons visit to kick off Week 15 in the NFL on Thursday night.
Upset by New Orleans last week, Tampa Bay is now tied atop the NFC South at 7-6 with the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, the 4-9 Falcons are trying to reverse a skid that has seen Atlanta drop seven of its past eight games.
ODDS AND TRENDS
The Bucs are consensus 5.5-point favorites. That includes at BetMGM, where Tampa Bay has been backed by 78% of the spread-line bets and 63% of the money. The Bucs' -225 moneyline has been even more popular, drawing 67% and 87% of the action, respectively.
The total points line at the book has shifted from 44.5 to 44.0, with the Over supported by 56% of the bets and 61% of the money.
PROP PICKS
--Falcons RB Bijan Robinson Over 38.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at BetMGM): Robinson caught just two passes for 8 yards in Seattle last week but has generally been an integral part of the Falcons' passing game with 602 receiving yards this season. Before the Seahawks game, Robinson had at least 37 receiving yards nine times this season, and at least 39 in eight of those. This is the most popular player prop at the book for this matchup.
--Bucs RB Bucky Irving 3+ Receptions (-178 at DraftKings): Irving has a pair of catches in both games since returning from a seven-game absence. However, he had 4+ catches in each of his four games before getting injured and his workload figures to only increase. Larger potential payouts are available for 4+ (+106) and 5+ (+252) receptions.
INSIDE EDGE
Falcons running backs have averaged 10.3 yards after the catch this season, second best in the NFL, according to Inside Edge's Remarkable engine. Meanwhile, the Bucs are second-worst in the league in allowing an average of 11.5 yards after catch per reception to running backs.
KEY STAT
In two outings since injuring his left shoulder, Bucs quarterback Mayfield is averaging just 158 passing yards per game and completed a season-low 46.7% (14 of 30) of his passes against the Saints. The veteran quarterback isn't using the injury as an excuse, but understands the offense needs to find a rhythm. The Buccaneers are averaging just 15.7 points across their last three games.
"It's the little things," Mayfield said of what needs improvement. "Whether it's me being on time with my footwork, getting the protection aligned, the depths of the routes, it all comes down to executing. It's not just one thing you can point to, it's a culmination of things. We'll get it fixed."
THEY SAID IT
--"For me, that's the cost of doing business. You don't put yourself in positions to worry about those things. As a leader, you've got to stand up in front of people and answer the hard questions, and you've also got to stand up and be a good example for your guys in how you go and finish things." --Falcons coach Raheem Morris on questions about his job status
--"I think saying things has merit. I think doing things has probably more merit. It's more about how you practice, how you prepare, how you play on Thursday night is really what it comes down to." --Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has thrown for 192 yards per game in four starts in place of the injured Michael Penix Jr. The oldest player in the Atlanta locker room, Cousins acknowledges the need for a vocal leader during the team's rough stretch, but also knows the on-field performance is paramount.
INJURY REPORT
Falcons wide receiver Drake London hasn't played since Nov. 16 as he deals with a knee injury. London was a non-participant all week in practice and ruled out on Wednesday.
Tight end Kyle Pitts (knee), edge rusher Jalon Walker (quad) and defensive linemen Brandon Dorlus (groin) and David Onyemata (foot) were listed as questionable on Wednesday.
Mayfield could benefit from the return of six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans. He has been out with a broken collarbone since Oct. 20 but the Bucs activated Evans from injured reserve on Wednesday along with wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who has yet to play this season because of a neck injury sustained in an Aug. 26 preseason game.
Evans and McMillan were listed as questionable to play, while tight end Cade Otton (knee) and safety Tykee Smith (neck/shoulder) are doubtful and linebacker SirVocea Dennis (hip) and safety Rashad Wisdom (quad) were ruled out for Thursday's game.
PREDICTION
Mayfield has struggled since injuring his shoulder and is playing on a short week. But he's doing it against a reeling Falcons team, with the Bucs at home and getting some reinforcements in their passing game. --Bucs 23, Falcons 20
Across 10 games so far this season, Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has recorded 22 receptions for 248 yards and a touchdown on 31 targets. While his full-season numbers don't jump off the page, the 25-year-old appears to be trending upwards. Over his last two games, Likely has hauled in nine catches for 124 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. If not for an ill-fated fumble at the goal line in Week 13 and a questionable call on a dropped touchdown in Week 14, Likely might have three scores over the last two weeks. Given veteran tight end Mark Andrews' (glute) presence in Baltimore, Likely's playing time usually has a defined ceiling. However, Andrews popped up on Thursday's injury report as a limited practice participant due to a glute injury heading into Baltimore's Week 15 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Andrews is facing any sort of missed time, Likely would immediately emerge as a high-upside starting tight end option for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson has spent the majority of the 2025 season in a backup role to his superstar teammate, running back Josh Jacobs (knee). However, Jacobs is battling a lingering knee injury that has held him out of practice on both Wednesday and Thursday heading into the team's Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos. In the one game that Jacobs has missed so far this season, Wilson recorded 125 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 30 touches against the Minnesota Vikings. If Jacobs were to miss additional time, Wilson would immediately vault into being a clear starting fantasy running back. Along with the potential for playing time, Wilson has proven himself capable of solid production. Across 37 career NFL games, he's averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns. Until Jacobs proves to be fully clear of the knee injury that has plagued him since Week 11, Wilson is a must-roster player with league-winning upside.
From RotoBaller
Given the highly inconsistent play they've received at the quarterback position, the Minnesota Vikings' pass offense has been an overall disappointment so far in 2025. However, wide receiver Jordan Addison (Achilles) has been showing signs of life in recent weeks. Addison has earned at least seven targets in four out of his last five games heading into a favorable Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The 23-year-old has been a limited practice participant so far this week due to an Achilles injury, so fantasy managers should monitor his progress before inserting him into their Week 15 lineup. Assuming Addison can avoid missed time, he may be establishing himself as a reliable target earner. If Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy can build upon his encouraging showing in Minnesota's Week 14 over the Washington Commanders, Addison could re-establish consistent fantasy value down the stretch of the season.
From RotoBaller
Considering he was the number 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland got off to a little bit of a slow start to his NFL career. However, the 21-year-old has started to emerge over the second half of the season. Across six games since Week 9, Loveland has recorded 24 receptions for 319 yards and four touchdowns on 31 targets. While he continues to split reps with Bears tight end Cole Kmet, Loveland has established himself as the clear top receiving option at the position in Chicago. Over that same six-game stretch, Kmet has seen just 16 targets. Given his draft pedigree and his seemingly improving chemistry with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Loveland has significant upside over the season's final weeks. He profiles as a fringe fantasy TE1 in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has largely struggled so far this season. Across seven starts, the 22-year-old has completed 56% of his pass attempts for 1,092 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. However, McCarthy had one of his best performances of the season in his team's Week 14 win over the Washington Commanders, completing 16 of 23 pass attempts for 163 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers. McCarthy has also shown some ability to provide production with his legs, rushing for 139 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Given that McCarthy has only cracked 170 passing yards in one start, fantasy managers should keep their expectations moderate. Still, McCarthy profiles as a high-end fantasy QB2 in a favorable Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and could be trending upward down the stretch of the season.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell has remained a steady, consistent piece of this Steelers offense for a majority of the season, but even more so over the past month and a half. Since Week 10, this Steelers backfield has become an actual split between Gainwell and Jaylen Warren. For most of the first half of the season, it had appeared Warren was gaining steam and control of the backfield, but a handful of injuries to Warren opened up the door for Gainwell, and he took advantage of his opportunities and has earned more playing time. Since Week 10, Gainwell has rushed for 151 yards on 28 carries (5.39 YPC), has 23 receptions for 167 receiving yards, and is averaging 14.6 fantasy points per game. He is consistently getting more involved than Warren in the receiving game, and moving forward, can be viewed as an RB3/flex option. In Week 15, the Steelers take on the Miami Dolphins, who rank middle-of-the-pack in points allowed against opposing running backs.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots rookie running back out of Ohio State, TreVeyon Henderson, has been seeing his workload decrease since the return of Rhamondre Stevenson from injury; however, he is earning significantly more work than he was seeing earlier in the year when Stevenson was playing a majority of the snaps the first eight weeks of the season. The backfield has appeared to turn into a true running back by committee, with both playing roughly 50 percent of the snaps in Week 13 (Stevenson 58% and Henderson 49%). Regardless, they play the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, who allow the sixth most points to the running back position in fantasy, and Henderson should be expected to see 10-15 total touches, making him a strong RB2 play for the week. On the season, Henderson has 625 rushing yards (4.84 YPC), 199 receiving yards on 38 targets (32 receptions), and six total touchdowns (five on the ground and one through the air). He has been very explosive when given the opportunity, and when you combine the explosiveness with the good matchup, that makes him a solid play in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported that Pittsburgh Steelers superstar linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) is in a local hospital undergoing evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the team facility on Wednesday. Head coach Mike Tomlin said that Watt's status is really up in the air after not practicing with the team on Thursday. Watt appears to be trending towards missing Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. This is really tough news for the Steelers (7-6), sitting at the top of the AFC North by one game with only four games left in the NFL regular season. What makes matters even more challenging is that the Steelers' defense has not been good this year, ranking in the bottom half of the league in points and yards allowed, so losing a player of this caliber against a hot Miami Dolphins (6-7) team, which has won four games in a row, will be a challenging task for the Steelers.
From RotoBaller
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday morning that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (concussion) has cleared concussion protocol and will play Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. This is a massive sigh of relief for Lamb fantasy managers and Cowboys fans. Lamb was injured in Week 14 on Thursday Night Football, leaping for a ball in the endzone and hitting his head on the turf, and was immediately ruled out and did not return to the game. Now that Lamb has cleared the concussion protocol, he is a "set and forget" type of player and should be in all fantasy lineups. The Vikings' pass defense might present a challenge, as they allow the fewest points to opposing wide receivers in fantasy; however, Lamb is a superstar who bypasses any tough matchups as long as their quarterback, Dak Prescott, continues to play at the MVP level that he is playing at. On the season, Lamb has 865 yards on 89 targets (57 receptions) and three touchdowns in 10 games played.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver out of Iowa State has been providing both the Texans and fantasy managers with consistent production since Week 8. Over the past seven weeks, he has scored five or more fantasy points in six of his seven contests and has topped nine points or more in four of those seven games. More importantly, he has topped five or more targets in six of those seven games and has averaged six targets per game during that stretch. He has become the Texans' preferred No. 2 wide receiver option behind Nico Collins and over Xavier Hutchinson and Christian Kirk. While his ceiling remains relatively low, his floor remains consistent. In leagues that have multiple flex spots or three wide receivers, he is working his way into being a reliable option in those leagues. RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR46 heading into Week 15's matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin had four catches, 20 yards, and a touchdown in a Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Fantasy Spin: With all four top wideouts available on Thursday night, Godwin wound up doing his work underneath, finishing with just 20 yards (his second-lowest showing in six games this season). The veteran did score his first touchdown since Oct. 13, 2024, which was encouraging. Still, with Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka both around, Godwin feels like the potential odd-man out. He can be carried as a WR5 type, at least in deeper leagues, but trusting him in your active lineup would be a questionable move.
From TheHuddle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (collarbone) had six receptions for 132 yards against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. He was targeted a dozen times.
Fantasy Spin: Back in action for the first time since suffering a collarbone injury in Week 7, Evans stepped right back in as Baker Mayfield's go-to guy. The Bucs matched him against Cobee Bryant repeatedly to great effect, and though Evans got dinged up a couple of times on some big hits, he was was able to return. After his performance Thursday night, any concerns about getting him back in your lineup should be assuaged. He's playable as a WR2/WR3 versus Carolina next Sunday.
From TheHuddle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield completed 19 of his 34 pass attempts for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. Mayfield, who was sacked five times, ran just once for one yard.
Fantasy Spin: With Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan back from injury, the Bucs' passing attack looked much improved with Mayfield posting his highest passing yards in a game since Week 5, and his first multi-touchdown effort since Week 10. It's not enough to get him back into safe QB1 territory yet, but his Week 16 matchup is an interesting one. Mayfield has been critical of his time with the Panthers, and the last time he faced them, the former No. 1 overall pick exacted some revenge to the tune of 359 yards and 5 TDs.
From TheHuddle
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver David Sills V caught six of his 10 targets for 78 yards during Thursday's Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sills was heavily targeted by Kirk Cousins in the victory, and he continued to earn the quarterback's trust even after a potential touchdown pass hit off his hands. The 29-year-old made up for it with six total catches, including a key reception that moved the chains and kept Atlanta's hopes alive on fourth-and-long during the final, game-winning drive. Sills' rapport with Cousins has been thrust into the spotlight ever since it was reported that the two have lockers next to each other. He has taken on a much bigger role with Drake London sidelined, playing at least 94% of the snaps in each of his last two games. He has at least 9.5 fantasy points (PPR) in three of his last four games with London inactive, as well as a touchdown in two of those four. Sills' fantasy value will presumably decline when London returns, but until that happens, he has streaming appeal as a high-volume WR3/flex in deeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught six of his 12 targets for 132 yards during Thursday's Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 32-year-old was activated from injured reserve earlier this week after recovering from a broken collarbone, and he wasted no time playing an enormous role in his return to action. Managers did hold their breath momentarily as Evans suffered an injury scare and left midgame with an apparent shoulder issue, but he returned shortly after and played the remainder of the game. After watching the star receiver step up as Baker Mayfield's favorite and best target once again on Thursday, managers should trust that Evans will remain in the WR1 tier for the remainder of the season. He should be started in all fantasy leagues next week against the Carolina Panthers.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. caught four of his five targets for 20 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion during Thursday's Week 15 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Godwin scored an octopus, which is when a player is responsible for eight points in a sequence of two plays -- a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. Although his yardage total was relatively low, the 29-year-old maintained decent volume even amid the return of Mike Evans, which bodes well for Godwin's fantasy outlook over the final few weeks of the season. He has scored double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in each of his last three games, and he should remain in the mid-to-low WR2 tier heading into Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 19 of his 34 pass attempts for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Thursday's Week 15 loss against the Atlanta Falcons. He also took five sacks in the defeat. Mayfield was decent for most of the game, but he threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter that allowed the Falcons to mount an improbable comeback. The 30-year-old has really struggled to hit his receivers in the back half of the season, completing just 54.7% of his passes over the Bucs' last five games. He ranks 21st among quarterbacks in fantasy points per game during that span. Managers will hope that he can bounce back in a key divisional battle against the Panthers next week, but it won't be easy. Carolina has intercepted five passes over its last two games. Mayfield remains outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks for the time being.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 19 carries, 93 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown during Thursday's Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also caught eight of his 11 targets for an additional 82 receiving yards. The lone blemish on Robinson's final stat line was a fumble in the third quarter. Outside of the turnover, the former first-round pick had an enormous showing on Thursday Night Football, playing a major role in the Falcons' comeback victory. He was efficient on the ground, heavily involved and productive as a receiver, and contributed to the scoring with a nifty rushing touchdown. Unlike in some previous weeks, Robinson was able to fend off Tyler Allgeier from having much of a role in Week 15. Robinson played 90.1% of the snaps with 27 total touches, whereas Allgeier played just 16.9% of the snaps with two touches. Allgeier's 16.9% snap share was his second-lowest mark of the season, trailing only Week 3 when he played fewer than 10%. Long story short, Robinson remains the undisputed workhorse here, and he's going to play a massive role in helping managers pursue a fantasy championship over the next few weeks. He should continue to feast against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins completed 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15.
Fantasy Spin: Since signing withe Falcons, Cousins has started 19 games. In three games versus Tampa Bay, he's averaged 386 yards with 11 TDs and 1 INT. In his other 16 starts, Cousins has averaged 218 yards with 13 TDs and 15 INTs. Sadly, for fantasy owners, the veteran doesn't face the Buccaneers again this season. As such, there's no need to react to this performance as his time in Atlanta has shown he's only a worthwhile QB1 versus Tampa Bay.
From TheHuddle
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. caught 11 of his 12 targets for 166 yards and three touchdowns during Thursday's Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pitts turned in the best game of his career, showing flashes of why the Falcons made him the No. 4 pick back in 2021. The 25-year-old had just one touchdown this season prior to Thursday, and he hadn't exceeded more than 90 yards in a game yet. He shattered both of those marks in the win, and he also registered the first double-digit catch total of his career. While Pitts probably won't replicate this breakout game every week, it's encouraging to see that he's capable of producing such a superstar-caliber performance. He firmly ranks in the mid-to-high TE1 tier ahead of Week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals.
From RotoBaller