Raiders @ Buccaneers
Final Score: Buccaneers 28 – Raiders 13
Writer: Brett Ford (@Fadethatman)
With the Las Vegas Raiders already eliminated from the playoffs, they hardly seemed an intimidating opponent for the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs are pushing down the stretch of another tightly-contested NFC South race, battling with the Falcons for the division lead with the plucky Saints remaining in the hunt (barely). In Tampa on Sunday, it was clear which team was playing for something and which was just hoping to get to the finish line of an unpleasant season as the Bucs jumped out to a massive early lead and maintained a two-possession lead nearly the entire game. Let’s dig in.
Four Up
- Rachaad White – After Bucky Irving left with an injury, White showed he has the chops to resume the bellcow role he held down in 2023.
- Jalen McMillan – The rookie emerged as a legit pass-catching option after being mostly an afterthought all season.
- Sincere McCormick – He’s clearly taken over as the feature back in Las Vegas, for whatever that’s worth.
Three Down
- Brock Bowers – Aside from breaking Sam LaPorta‘s rookie receptions record, it was a pedestrian day at the office for the budding star.
- Ameer Abdullah – Relegated back to his third-down only role, Abdullah had just three opportunities.
- Mike Evans – A letdown game after his monster line last week against Carolina.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Aidan O’Connell: 11/19, 104 Yards, INT | 6 Carries, 6 Yards, TD, Fumble (LOST)
O’Connell was below average, completing just under 60% of his passes. He did find the end zone, vulturing a touchdown from McCormick after the running back got the team in scoring position with a big run earlier on the drive. He also made an egregiously bad throw in the red zone that was picked off by a waiting defender. In the second half, O’Connell appeared to suffer a serious lower-body injury, left the game and did not return.
Desmond Ridder: 12/18, 101 Yards | 2 Carries, 3 Yards
Ridder entered the game for the final three drives and managed not to do anything negative. The Raiders had already established that Ridder was not the guy they wanted under center, benching him as soon as O’Connell was healthy, but will now be forced to roll with the former Cincinnati Bearcat for the rest of the season. Good luck, Vegas.
Running Back
Ameer Abdullah: 1 Carry, 1 Yard | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, -3 Yards
Well, that was fun while it lasted. Abdullah is officially no longer fantasy-viable. He played just 26 snaps and only got two touches on three opportunities. He still played on third down and the two-minute drill, but it’s McCormick’s backfield now.
Sincere McCormick: 15 Carries, 78 Yards | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Let me channel my inner John Madden, “Now here’s a guy who’s playing for a contract.” McCormick ran hard on every chance he got, averaging just over 5.0 yards per carry behind an uninspiring offensive line. His best run of the day came in the first quarter on a third-and-one, where he hit the hole and accelerated to the second level, shaking off a defender and gaining 29 yards to set up the Raiders’ only touchdown.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Brock Bowers: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 49 Yards
It baffles me how the Raiders were unable to get the ball to their best and most prolific playmaker, but credit the Bucs for taking Bowers out of the picture.
Jakobi Meyers: 10 Targets, 7 Receptions, 67 Yards
Meyers did his best to produce despite inconsistent quarterback play, as he has all season. He led the team in targets and pulled down seven catches, but he still plays for the Raiders… which severely limits his ceiling.
Tre Tucker: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 7 Yards
Tucker was a non-factor in this one, managing just two catches. He has caught two or fewer balls in eight out of 13 games this season, including each of his last two.
Michael Mayer: 9 Targets, 7 Receptions, 68 Yards
Mayer had his best game of a tumultuous season and was on the field for 55 offensive snaps (just two fewer than Bowers) as the Raiders lined up in 12-personnel pretty frequently. Frankly, this is the type of offense we thought we would see from this team in the preseason when they ran out these two at the same time on a high frequency of snaps. Spending high draft capital on tight ends for two consecutive seasons, one would think that the Raiders would feed both guys. It’s not like they have a plethora of talent and depth at the wideout position. Mayer could definitely be a waiver consideration for the fantasy playoffs, even if Ridder takes over moving forward. Five of Mayer’s targets came with Ridder under center.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: 18/29, 295 Yards, 3 TD, 2 INT | 2 Carries, 12 Yards
Mayfield was outstanding in the first quarter, setting the stage to cruise for the rest of the game. In the opening frame, Mayfield completed eight of his nine passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. From there, he was just 10-for-20 and threw two picks to just one touchdown. I don’t want to say that Mayfield lost focus once his team was up a pair of scores, but his performance dropped off a cliff after the first quarter and a 14-0 lead. He’s been an elite – yes, ELITE – quarterback the past two seasons while going largely underrated.
Running Back
Bucky Irving: 2 Carries, 12 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 15 Yards
Irving looked poised for another big day before leaving the game in the first quarter with an injury. Pay attention to his injury status and practice reports moving forward, as he will still likely be a focal point of the Bucs offense if healthy.
Rachaad White: 17 Carries, 90 Yards, TD | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards, TD
Remember 2023 league-winner Rachaad White? You might have been reminded of that guy if you watched the Bucs on Sunday. White was back in a bellcow role after Irving’s injury, playing 47 out of 62 offensive snaps, nearly all of them after Irving left. He looked fresh and explosive, grinding for yards whenever he had an opportunity. He also retained his passing game role, losing only one third down snap to Sean Tucker. If Irving misses time, milk this bellcow for all he’s worth.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Mike Evans: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 69 Yards
Evans didn’t quite reach the lofty numbers he hit last week against Carolina, but the Bucs weren’t forced to the air in the way they were a week ago. In games that the Bucs will have to throw the ball, Evans should see a lot more usage. But with only one team with a winning record remaining on the schedule, fantasy managers may be hoping that Evans isn’t scripted out of the Bucs’ remaining contests.
Sterling Shepard: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 63 Yards
Shepard has developed a sense of trust with Mayfield, who continues to target his former college teammate at Oklahoma. Shepard rotated with Rakim Jarrett and Trey Palmer, playing only 30 snaps (just under half), but was still targeted six times.
Jalen McMillan: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 59 Yards, 2 TD
McMillan has established himself as the WR2 in this offense and finally cashed in on a pair of touchdowns this week – his second and third of the season and first scores since Week One. His first score of the game came on a broken coverage where a Raiders defensive back tried to jump an underneath route, freeing up McMillan down the sideline for a score. His second touchdown was on a wide receiver screen against man coverage in which the Bucs got an offensive lineman out to his defensive back, and no other Raiders got close as McMillan scored untouched.
Cade Otton: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 70 Yards
Otton has proven that he can provide production at the tight end spot if he gets the volume, but he made the most of limited chances in this one. Largely ignored by Mayfield, Otton caught three passes, including a 34-yard gain. His most athletic highlight came on an intermediate route where he caught the ball in a soft pocket of the Raiders’ zone and headed upfield, hurtling a Raider on his way to a big gain.