Skip to Main Content
EyePartInnerEyePartCorner
player headshot

Tampa Bay Buccaneers DST

Player Outlook
The Buccaneers had a mediocre Fantasy defense in 2025, and we are not expecting a rebound. With a Week 1 matchup against Cincinnati, we do not suggest drafting them. However, they do face the Browns in Week 2, so they could potentially be a top streaming option. They drafted Rueben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter with their first two picks and added two more defensive players in the first five rounds. If those rookies acclimate quickly, the pass rush could be much improved, and they could become a streaming option against the right matchup.

Fantasy News

  • Buccaneers' Benjamin Morrison: Back at practice Sunday

    Rotowire
    Morrison (hamstring) was a full participant in Sunday's training camp practice, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. Morrison missed the first three practices of training camp while tending to a lingering hamstring injury from the 2025 season, but he was back in action Sunday with no restrictions. Leg injuries limited the 2025 second-rounder to 10 regular-season games during his rookie year, finishing with 26 tackles (19 solo), four pass defenses and one fumble recovery. Morrison is projected to start opposite Zyon McCollum at outside cornerback, with Josh Hayes and Damarion Williams providing depth at the position.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Haggai Ndubuisi: Reverts to IR

    Rotowire
    Ndubuisi (undisclosed) reverted to the Buccaneers' injured reserve Friday after clearing waivers, per the NFL's transaction log. Now that he's on the IR, Ndubuisi will be forced to miss the entire 2026 season unless he reaches an injury settlement with the Buccaneers. He joined the NFL in April of 2022 through the International Player Pathway program and made his pro debut as a member of the Texans in Week 14 of the 2025 campaign against the Chiefs, which is his lone appearance in a regular-season game.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Haggai Ndubuisi: Waived by Tampa

    Rotowire
    Ndubuisi (undisclosed) was waived from the active/PUP list with a failed physical designation by the Bucs on Thursday, per the NFL's official transaction log. The defensive tackle began training camp on the active/PUP list. Ndubuisi appeared in one regular-season game for Houston last year, making one tackle.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Benjamin Morrison: Remains hampered by hamstring

    Rotowire
    Morrison remains limited in practice at training camp due to a hamstring injury, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports. Morrison worked off to the side with the training staff Wednesday after he initially suffered the strained hamstring during spring work. Morrison was a second-round pick last year and appeared in just 10 regular-season games as a rookie, making three starts. With Jamel Dean now in Pittsburgh, Morrison is expected to compete for a starting job at cornerback this summer.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Vita Vea: Dealing with tweaked back

    Rotowire
    Vea suffered a tweaked back in Tuesday's condition test at training camp, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports. Vea is "holding in" at training camp after he requested a trade out of Tampa Bay earlier in the week. He's looking for a new contract as he heads into the final year of a four-year, $71 million extension that was signed in 2022. Vea started all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and recorded 34 tackles (16 solo), including 4.5 sacks. He's certainly on the downslope of his career and is looking to cash in one more time.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Haggai Ndubuisi: On PUP list as camp starts

    Rotowire
    Ndubuisi (undisclosed) will begin training camp on the Buccaneers' active/PUP list, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports. It's not immediately clear what kind of injury Ndubuisi is dealing with, but it is keeping him off the practice field as training camp gets underway. Until Ndubuisi can return to football activities, undrafted rookie free agent Josiah Green could see an uptick in practice reps on the interior of the defensive line.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Chase Lucas: Entering camp on PUP list

    Rotowire
    Lucas (undisclosed) will begin training camp on the Buccaneers' active/PUP list, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports. The exact nature of Lucas' injury is unclear at this point, and there's no timetable for his return to practice. As long as he remains unavailable, it could mean extra chances for Kemon Hall to try to make an impression as a depth option in the secondary.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Ja'Qurious Conley: Let go by Tampa Bay

    Rotowire
    The Buccaneers waived Conley (undisclosed) with a non-football injury designation and an injury waiver Tuesday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. Conley is headed to waivers after having signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent back in May. The 25-year-old could end up reverting to the team's injured reserve should he go unclaimed on waivers.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Vita Vea: Makes trade request

    Rotowire
    Vea and his representation have requested a trade from the Buccaneers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Vea is entering the final year of his current contract that is set to pay him $18 million in 2026, and his AAV of $17.75 million on said deal is 19th among interior defensive linemen. At 30 years old last season, he logged 760 defensive snaps (second most in a campaign in his career) en route to 34 tackles, including 4.5 sacks, two pass defenses and one fumble recovery across 17 regular-season games. After Vea staged a hold-in at mandatory minicamp in mid-June, he's slated to report to training camp Tuesday with fellow Bucs veterans, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Vita Vea: Holding in

    Rotowire
    Vea did not practice this week as a minicamp hold-in, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Vea is entering the last year of his contract, during which he is scheduled to receive up to $17 million in non-guaranteed funds for play throughout the 2026 season. The defensive tackle played a full season's worth of games for the first time since 2019, and with consistent production leading the defensive line, he likely feels he is entitled to an extension before putting his body on the line another year. If Vea continues to hold in without a trade or extension, Elijah Simmons could develop an increased role in the Buccaneers defense heading into the 2026 regular season.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Anthony Nelson: Practicing during OTAs

    Rotowire
    Nelson (knee) is participating in OTAs. The linebacker missed the last two regular-season games of 2025 with a knee injury, but he appears to be past the issue. Nelson recorded 38 tackles (21 solo), including 3.0 sacks, two pass breakups, including an interception, and two forced fumbles last year.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Benjamin Morrison: Dealing with leg injury

    Rotowire
    Morrison missed Thursday's OTA session due to a leg issue, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Quadriceps and hamstring injuries limited Morrison to 10 games during his rookie season in 2025, though it's unclear if this is a similar issue. Morrison was selected in the second round of the draft last year and projects as a starter when available.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Calijah Kancey: Fifth-year option excercised

    Rotowire
    The Buccaneers exercised the fifth-year option on Kancey's contract Monday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports. Kancey was sidelined for most of the 2025 season due to a pectoral injury he suffered in Week 2, but the defensive tackle's output has been more than satisfactory for the Buccaneers to justify spending the $14.475 million required to retain him through 2027. The 2023 first-round pick has accumulated 54 tackles (41 solo), including 11.5 sacks, through 29 career regular-season games thus far. With the team selecting linebacker Rueben Bain in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bucs will be acquiring an influx of talent on the defensive line that should only increase Kancey's potential for production this season.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' DeMonte Capehart: Nabbed by Buccaneers

    Rotowire
    The Buccaneers selected Capehart in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 155th overall. Capehart boasts an ample frame (6-foot-5, 313 pounds) and played 1-technique at Clemson, so there is some potential here for Capehart to develop, but he wasn't a full-time starter in college. The Bucs are taking a lottery ticket on a guy with plenty of potential. However, after racking up 21 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a senior, Capehart will likely require some development.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Buccaneers' Keionte Scott: Taken by Tampa Bay

    Rotowire
    The Buccaneers selected Scott in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 116th overall. Scott will turn 25 years old prior to the start of the regular season and boasts the experience necessary to hit the ground running as a rookie, making him a candidate to carve out a rotational role in Tampa Bay's secondary early. After beginning his collegiate career at the junior college level, Scott transferred Auburn, where he handled a versatile role split between the slot and outside corner spots from 2022-24. In his sole year with Miami, he truly broke out as an aggressive hybrid nickel, totaling a career-best 64 tackles, including 13 tackles for a loss, 5.0 sacks and two forced fumbles, plus seven passes defensed including two interceptions. He'll likely spend the offseason competing to carve out a rotational role behind 2025 third-round pick Jacob Parrish, who was productive as the Buccaneers' top slot corner in his rookie year.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Anthony Walker: Announces retirement

    Rotowire
    Walker announced his retirement from the NFL via his personal Instagram account Thursday. Walker will call it quits after nine seasons with the Colts, Browns, Dolphins and Buccaneers. The linebacker exceeded 100 total tackles in an individual season three times during his career, compiling 581 total takedowns (362 solo), including 5.5 sacks, over 101 regular-season games. The Northwestern product also added 21 passes defensed, including four interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his time in the NFL.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Lavonte David: Opts for retirement

    Rotowire
    The Buccaneers announced David's retirement from the NFL on Tuesday. A second-round pick in 2012, David was a model of consistency over 14 seasons in Tampa Bay, missing only 14 games and reaching the 100-tackle threshold 12 times while being named an All-Pro on three occasions. His overall contributions are Hall of Fame-worthy, but he'll have to wait the minimum five years before such an honor will be under consideration.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Eagles' J.T. Gray: Inks deal with Philly

    Rotowire
    The Eagles signed Gray to a one-year contract Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Gray spent his first seven seasons with the Saints and was selected to the Pro Bowl and named a first-team All-Pro as a special-teams ace in 2021. He was a second-team All-Pro twice. Gray was released ahead of Week 1 last summer and spent the 2025 campaign bouncing around the league with the Ravens, Broncos and Bucs, appearing in just five regular-season contests.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Patriots' Kindle Vildor: Signing with Patriots

    Rotowire
    Vildor is set to sign a one-year deal with the Patriots, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Vildor, who entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick by the Bears, recorded 16 tackles and a pick in 12 regular-season games with the Buccaneers in 2025. In joining the Patriots, the 28-year-old will reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel, who Vildor worked with in 2023 while both were with the Titans. In his latest locale, the 5-foot-11, 189-pounder will offer cornerback depth and special teams experience.
    ... See More ... See Less

  • Lions' Christian Izien: Inks deal with Detroit

    Rotowire
    Izien signed a contract with the Lions on Friday. The terms of the deal are yet to be announced, but Izien will head to Detroit after calling Tampa Bay his home for the last three seasons. He played a prominent role in the Buccaneers' defense in 2023 and 2024 but saw his snaps on defense dip in 2025, finishing with 25 tackles (16 solo) and one forced fumble across 14 regular-season games. Izien will look to earn an expanded role on defense with the Lions, and he could get some starts early in 2026 season if one or both of Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee) are not available.
    ... See More ... See Less
Show more Fantasy news