Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Two catches in return to action
Rotowire
Otton secured both targets for 32 yards in the Buccaneers' 23-20 wild-card loss to the Commanders on Sunday night.
Making his return from a three-game absence due to a knee injury, Otton finished tied with multiple teammates for second in receptions and targets while checking in third in receiving yards. Despite the three absences to close out the regular season, Otton still recorded a career-best 59 receptions, 600 receiving yards and 87 targets across 14 games, while also tying a career best with four touchdown grabs. The 2022 fourth-round pick also finished with a career-high 10.2 yards per catch with the help of a new personal best of seven grabs of 20-plus yards. With the final year of his rookie contract on tap in 2025, Otton may be a prime candidate for an extension this offseason.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Active versus Washington
Rotowire
Otton (knee) is listed as active for Sunday night's wild-card round game against the Commanders.
Though Otton was deemed a full practice participant Thursday and Friday, he approached the Buccaneers' postseason opener listed as questionable. In his return from a three-game absence, Otton should reclaim his role as a key pass catcher for QB Baker Mayfield alongside WRs Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, with fellow TEs Payne Durham and Ko Kieft also on hand to mix in. Prior to sustaining his knee injury, Otton made his mark from a fantasy perspective by recording a 59/600/4 receiving line (on 87 targets) over the course of 14 games.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Listed as questionable after full practice
Rotowire
Otton (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Commanders.
Otton is on track to return from a three-game absence following full practice participation Thursday and Friday, although coach Todd Bowles stopped short of promising the tight end will play. Bowles did confirm that Otton is trending in the right direction, per Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site, which means Payne Durham and Devin Culp likely will fall back to minimal roles after making significant contributions to Tampa Bay's passing game over the final few weeks of the regular season.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Gets back to full Thursday
Rotowire
Otton (knee) practiced fully Thursday.
This marks the first time Otton has been listed as anything other than a DNP or limited on Buccaneers practice reports since showing up with a left knee injury during Week 16 prep. He's missed the last three games as a result, but following up Wednesday's capped walkthrough with a full session one day later puts him on a path to return to action for Sunday night's wild-card game against the Commanders. There's a chance he may share TE reps with Payne Durham and even Devin Culp if the Buccaneers opt to ease Otton back into action.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Progressing from knee injury
Rotowire
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Otton (knee) is "trending in the right direction" and would have been a limited participant Wednesday if the team had held a normal practice, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
The Buccaneers held a walk-through session rather than a more strenuous practice, and they'll presumably list Otton as a limited participant on their first official injury report of the week. He missed the final three games of the regular season due to the knee injury, allowing Payne Durham to step in as the starter while Devin Culp took on some of the passing-down snaps. An every-down player when healthy throughout his NFL career, Otton might have a somewhat lesser role if he makes it back for Sunday's wild-card matchup with Washington.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Doubtful for Sunday
Rotowire
Otton (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Saints.
Otton was a limited practice participant Thursday and Friday but apparently didn't show enough for the Bucs to be confident in his Week 18 availability. The good news for Tampa Bay is that fellow tight ends Payne Durham (quadriceps) and Devin Culp (ribs) both made enough progress throughout the week to avoid injury designations. Durham figures to start and get the most snaps, with Culp subbing in some for passing situations.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Returns to practice Thursday
Rotowire
Otton (knee) was limited at practice Thursday.
This marks Otton's first on-field work since a limited session on Friday, Dec. 20, so there's a chance he's fighting to make an appearance in the Buccaneers' regular-season final Sunday against the Saints. At the very least, he may have to maintain his activity level Friday in order to be listed as anything more than questionable for that contest. Fellow TE Payne Durham (quadriceps) also was limited Thursday, while rookie Devin Culp (ribs) upgraded from limited to full, so the latter appears as if he could be the biggest beneficiary if either or both of Otton and/or Durham are inhibited or out this weekend.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Won't play Sunday
Rotowire
Coach Todd Bowles said Friday that Otton (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Otton thus will miss a second game in a row due to a left knee injury that has allowed him to practice only once (limited last Friday) over the last two weeks of prep. Payne Durham will take on most of the TE reps for the Buccaneers in Week 17, which amounted to five catches (on seven targets) for 29 yards on a 92 percent snap share this past Sunday at Dallas. Otton will turn his focus to getting healthy enough for a Week 18 matchup with the Saints.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Predictably ruled out
Rotowire
Otton (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's contest against the Cowboys, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
This was predictable, as Otton was listed as doubtful following Friday's final injury report. Given the starting end won't travel with the team to Dallas, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Devin Culp will likely act as a positional platoon in an effort to replace Otton's multi-faceted capabilities.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Doubtful for Sunday
Rotowire
Otton (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Otton returned to practice Friday as a limited participant, using a large brace over his left knee, with Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles telling reporters that he expected the tight end to be a game-time decision Sunday. Things may not have gone as well in practice as Bowles was hoping for, and the Bucs now consider Otton unlikely to play, leaving Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Devin Culp as candidates to pick up extra snaps at tight end. Durham has been getting the most playing time of the bunch in recent weeks, but he's caught just two passes all season (which is two more than Kieft or Culp).
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: DNP again Thursday
Rotowire
Otton (knee) was a non-participant at Thursday's practice.
Otton has yet to take part in drills this week while donning a knee brace on the side at practice, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. In the event that Otton isn't able to play Sunday in Dallas, offensive coordinator Liam Coen expressed confidence that Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and even rookie seventh-rounder Devin Culp will be able to fill in capably for Otton, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Ultimately, the Buccaneers may make a ruling on Otton's upcoming availability as soon as they post their final Week 16 injury report Friday.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: TEs to Sit
Rotowire
Otton has gone five games in a row without a touchdown, and he's been limited to four targets or less in three of his past four games. The emergence of Jalen McMillan has limited Otton's production, and he has 35 receiving yards or less in four of his past five outings. Dallas has also allowed just one tight end to eclipse 50 receiving yards in the past seven games.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Tending to knee injury
Rotowire
Otton didn't practice Wednesday due to a knee injury.
Since earning 10-plus targets in three consecutive games from Weeks 7 through 9, Otton has mustered a 15-179-0 line on 25 targets over the last five games. The downturn in production was likely a byproduct of Mike Evans' return to the lineup Week 12, but Otton also has just three red-zone targets over the last four games and hasn't scored a touchdown during that time. Otton's health is now worth tracking as the Buccaneers prepare for Sunday's contest at Dallas.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Two grabs in Week 15 win
Rotowire
Otton secured two of three targets for 24 yards in the Buccaneers' 40-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
Starting wideouts Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan combined for 14 receptions, 238 yards and three touchdown catches, leaving little else for the rest of Tampa Bay's air attack. That included Otton, who posted his lowest yardage total since Week 6 and tied his second-lowest target tally of the campaign as well. Nevertheless, the third-year tight end remains an important complementary part of the passing game and could see an uptick in work during a favorable Week 16 road matchup against the Cowboys.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Team-high yardage total Sunday
Rotowire
Otton brought in three of four targets for 70 yards in the Buccaneers' 28-13 win over the Raiders on Sunday.
The third-year tight end finished with a team-high receiving yardage figure and ranked second in receptions as well. The highlight of Otton's afternoon was a 44-yard reception in the fourth quarter that helped set up the Buccaneers' final touchdown of the game, and Sunday marked his most productive showing since a Week 9, 77-yard effort against the Chiefs. Otton should continue to be an integral part of the Buccaneers' shorthanded passing attack in a Week 15 road matchup against the Chargers.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: TEs to Start
Rotowire
I'm sticking with Otton for another week despite his struggles in the past two games since Mike Evans returned from his hamstring injury. Over that span, Otton has just five catches for 50 yards on 10 targets, and he combined for only 10 PPR points against the Giants and Panthers. But I'm counting on Otton to deliver against the Raiders, who are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. In the past four games against Las Vegas, tight ends have combined for 34 catches for 413 yards and five touchdowns, with five guys scoring at least 9.8 PPR points. Otton should once again be a top-10 Fantasy tight end in all leagues this week.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Does little with seven targets
Rotowire
Otton recorded four receptions on seven targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 26-23 overtime win over the Panthers.
Otton saw his role bounce back after earning only three targets in Week 12, as his seven targets Sunday were tied for second on the team. However, the good news ends there, as he did little with the opportunity. Otton's longest reception went for just seven yards, and he's now been held to 35 yards or fewer in three straight contests.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: TEs to Start
Rotowire
Otton was a huge letdown in Week 12 at the Giants with one catch for 30 yards on three targets, but I'm not going to panic. The Giants are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and that was a bad matchup for Otton. It was also the first game back for Mike Evans since Week 7 due to a hamstring injury, and Otton was a star with Evans out. I expect the two to co-exist, and this is a great matchup for Otton in Week 13 against the Panthers, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Carolina has allowed seven touchdowns to tight ends in the past five games, and five tight ends have scored at least 12.2 PPR points against the Panthers over that span.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Held to one catch Sunday
Rotowire
Otton brought in one of three targets for 30 yards in the Buccaneers' 30-7 win over the Giants on Sunday.
With Mike Evans back on the field after a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury, Otton saw his workload decrease significantly. The third-year tight end did put together an impressive gain on his one catch, but he's now seen his receiving yardage totals drop over that of the previous game in four consecutive contests. Otton will have the benefit of a favorable matchup when the Bucs travel to face the Panthers in Week 13.
... See More... See Less
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: TEs to Start
Rotowire
Otton has been a star since Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hamstring) got hurt in Week 7 against Baltimore, and Otton has scored at least 18 PPR points in three games in a row. He has 31 targets over that span with at least eight catches and 77 yards in each outing, and he has three touchdowns in his past two contests. The 49ers are tough on opposing tight ends, but I still like Otton as a top-five Fantasy option in all leagues.
