Jets @ Buccaneers
Final Score: Buccaneers 29, Jets 27
Writer: Christian Otteman (@COttemanPL on Twitter)
The 2-0 Buccaneers played host to the 0-2 Jets, who started backup journeyman QB Tyrod Taylor under center with Justin Fields out with a concussion. The Jets struggled to move the ball most of the game and were down big in the fourth quarter but managed to string together a couple of drives to get within six points. Disaster struck for the Bucs when a Chase McLaughlin field goal was blocked and returned for a touchdown to give the Jets a one-point lead inside the two-minute warning, but Baker Mayfield led the home team down the field to allow McLaughlin to convert his chance at redemption and secure a two-point victory. Tampa Bay jumps to 3-0 behind the magic of their throwback uniforms, while the Jets fall to 0-3 in a heartbreaking loss.
Two Up
- Emeka Egbuka — The rookie continues to dazzle, and while he didn’t find the end zone, he made multiple spectacular catches to keep the chains moving for Tampa Bay.
- Garrett Wilson — Wilson proved he can make things work for your fantasy squads, no matter who is under center.
Three Down
- Breece Hall — A second straight disappointing performance for Hall, who was stifled at the line of scrimmage on many of his carries.
- Mike Evans — Not anything performance-related, but Evans pulled up with a hamstring injury in the second half and looks set to miss multiple weeks.
- Rachaad White — After an encouraging Week 2, White saw only a handful of opportunities, even when the game looked out of hand for some time in the second half. This is clearly still Bucky Irving‘s backfield.
New York Jets
Quarterback
Tyrod Taylor: 26/36, 197 Yards, 2 TDs, INT | 8 Carries, 48 Yards, Fumble (LOST)
To his credit, Tyrod Taylor did his best to lead the Jets to a near-improbable comeback. Still, he looked very much the part of a journeyman quarterback thrust into a spot start, especially in the first half when his lone interception was returned for a touchdown. Taylor was better in the second half, finding Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard for scores, and he used his legs well to extend plays when he was flushed from the pocket. Justin Fields is likely the team’s starter when he returns from his concussion, but Taylor at least showed enough for Wilson owners to trust that the team’s alpha receiver will get fed no matter who is under center. If Fields can’t clear concussion protocol in time for Week 4, Taylor would be a sneaky QB2 streamer against a Dolphins defense that has looked truly dismal.
Running Back
Breece Hall: 9 Carries, 21 Yards | 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 31 Yards
Hoo boy, it’s usually not a great sign when your 36-year-old backup quarterback is your team’s leading rusher. Breece Hall broke off a nice 17-yard run on the Jets’ opening drive but was otherwise invisible for most of the day against Tampa Bay’s front seven. After a promising first game, Hall has been shut down for the past two weeks, mostly thanks to the Jets’ atrocious offensive line. The game script in the second half didn’t call for many runs, but that sort of scenario will be more frequent for the Jets than many other teams this season. Hall is still a phenomenal athlete and should have some better performances, but he has a lower floor than we’d like.
Braelon Allen: 6 Carries, 30 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards
Braelon Allen is still the power back in this offense and broke off a few chunk gains. His profile means he will find some goal-line touchdowns as he did in Week 1, but his usage doesn’t support a fantasy-relevant back for now. Per PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, Allen played 23 snaps to Hall’s 38, which is closer to the usage split we saw in Week 1 than Week 2. Allen should be rostered as a premium handcuff, but he shouldn’t be started while Hall is taking the lion’s share of snaps.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Garrett Wilson: 13 Targets, 10 Receptions, 84 Yards, TD
There is exactly one pass catcher worth rostering on the New York Jets, and his name is Garrett Wilson. Wilson’s whopping 13 targets were more than double that of any other Jet, and he also found the end zone for the second time this season. Wilson’s hands and route running looked as sharp as ever, keeping him as a solid WR2 moving forward.
Tyrod Taylor to Garrett Wilson for the TD
NYJvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/1wrR1N8c0z
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Tyler Johnson: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 32 Yards
Tyler Johnson was a distant second in receiving yardage for the Jets, but his most important play came on a drop on third down in the third quarter. The 27-year-old is not a fantasy-relevant option.
Mason Taylor: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 18 Yards
This is the most usage we’ve seen from Mason Taylor in his young career, but it wasn’t anything special. He still has a great chance to carve out a role as the team’s second pass-catching option, but as is often the case with rookie tight ends, patience is key. A good stash in Dynasty leagues, but you won’t have space for him on most of your redraft benches.
Allen Lazard: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards, TD
Allen Lazard caught a fourth-and-goal touchdown to get the Jets within six, but he’s not a viable fantasy option, especially with his old buddy Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh.
Arian Smith: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 2 Yards
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: 19/29, 233 Yards, TD | 4 Carries, 44 Yards, Fumble (Recovered)
Baker Mayfield always seems to play his best football when his back is against the wall. After the Bucs went down with under two minutes to play, Baker led his team down the field to set up a game-winning field goal from Chase McLaughlin. It wasn’t the most prolific fantasy game, but Mayfield was able to minimize mistakes and use his legs to add a few extra points to his ledger. The Bucs run a dynamic offense, so Baker should be a QB1 most weeks, but Week 4’s matchup with the Eagles might be a “stay away if possible” sort of game.
Running Back
Bucky Irving: 25 Carries, 66 Yards | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 33 Yards
This wasn’t the most efficient game for Bucky Irving, but the most important takeaway is that he maintained a dominant share of the backfield work. There were multiple runs where Bucky was just barely brought down before getting to space, but he still produced a decent outing thanks to his passing-game usage. We’ve yet to see a truly dominant performance from Irving, but his usage and shiftiness suggest it’s coming soon. A Week 4 date with the Eagles might not be that time, however.
Rachaad White: 5 Carries, 12 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Rachaad White saw 20 snaps in this game but didn’t do much with his limited opportunities. He remains a high-value handcuff, as no other Tampa Bay RB saw snaps in this game, but his standalone value is a nonstarter as long as Bucky is maintaining these massive workloads.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Emeka Egbuka: 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 85 Yards
Emeka Egbuka continues to be the best rookie receiver in 2025, hauling in an insane highlight-reel catch in the second quarter over stud corner Sauce Gardner:
EMEKA EGBUKA. Unreal one-handed catch!
NYJvsTB on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/K8DFIGvYGW
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Yesterday’s game was the first in Egbuka’s young career that he did not find the end zone, but more importantly, he paced the team in targets, receptions, and yardage. His line could have been even better had a circus catch that looked like a reception not been ruled incomplete — it was your standard play where there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the call on the field. More importantly, if Mike Evans is out for any length of time, Egbuka is primed to be the team’s top target. Egbuka should be a weekly WR2 with upside moving forward. He looks like the real deal.
Sterling Shepard: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 80 Yards
Sterling Shepard continues to be a valuable option for the Bucs’ offense, picking up multiple chunk plays in key moments, including a massive 20-yard gain on the final drive to set up the game-winning field goal. Shepard could be a sneaky depth flex option in deeper leagues if Chris Godwin isn’t ready to return in Week 4 with Evans likely to miss time.
Mike Evans: 8 Targets, 4 Receptions, 33 Yards, TD
Another week, another difficult matchup for Mike Evans, who spent most of the day blanketed by Sauce Gardner while still being peppered with targets. On the bright side, Evans was able to find the end zone for the first time this season — but he later departed with a hamstring injury and was visibly frustrated. Ugh. The Bucs will likely play things safely with the veteran, so expect him to miss at least a couple of weeks. An IR stint is not out of the question.
Ryan Miller: 1 Target
Tez Johnson: 1 Target
With Chris Godwin nearing a return, neither Ryan Miller nor Tez Johnson are interesting bench stashes, even if Evans is out.
Cade Otton: Zero. Zilch. Nada.
Ouch. I nearly forgot about Cade Otton, as he didn’t even appear in the box score. If you’re still holding on, now is the time to cut.