The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing to make another title run in 2022. After a brief retirement, Tom Brady returned to the team for another chance at his eighth Lombardi. Tampa Bay has an abundance of weapons on both sides of the ball, and enters the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites. The Buccaneers' success may hinge on one of their premier weapons coming back strong. Before tearing his ACL in December, Chris Godwin enjoyed a fantastic season for Tampa Bay. He established himself as the clear workhorse for Brady, leading the team 98 passes for 1,103 yards.
Tampa Bay rewarded Godwin with a three-year contract worth up to $60 million this offseason. He'll be eager to prove the team right this offseason, which should excite fantasy football fans. Let's take a look at Godwin's fantasy football outlook in 2022.
Chris Godwin 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
With Chris Godwin coming off an ACL tear less than nine months ago, many expected him to miss time this season. However, he will likely be ready to go for the season opener on September 11. Buccaneers reporter Rick Stroud reported that Godwin will participate and training camp, and won't begin the season on the PUP list.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin has been cleared to begin training camp despite undergoing knee surgery Jan. 3 for a torn ACL.
LB Lavonte David (Lisfranc) also is ready to participate in workouts beginning Wed. But the team will be careful with both. Neither needed to start on the PUP list— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) July 26, 2022
Godwin being healthy to start the season is a big boost for Tampa Bay's offense. His availability may also attract some fantasy owners who may have passed on him due to his injury. Godwin's effectiveness after the injury is not yet known, but the fact that he's in playing shape is very encouraging.
From a fantasy football perspective, the biggest concern with Godwin is how crowded the Buccaneers' wide receiver group is. He already had to compete for targets for Mike Evans, but Tampa Bay added Julio Jones and Russell Gage in the offseason. They also have receiving threats at other positions, such as Leonard Fournette and Cameron Brate.
Fortunately for fantasy owners, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich has a distinct role for each receiver. Evans is the clear red zone threat of the group, with fewer targets and receptions but far more touchdowns. By contrast, Godwin is much more of an underneath threat who can carry the workload for the offense.
Godwin received a huge amount of targets in 2021. He led the team last season with 127 targets in 14 games, making him a clear favorite target for Brady. He even received more targets than star wide receivers such as Deebo Samuel and Ceedee Lamb, who missed less time.
Brady often targets Evans in the red zone, meaning Chris Godwin doesn't get a ton of touchdowns. That may scare off some fantasy owners, especially those in non-PPR leagues. In PPR leagues, however, Godwin dominates with his abundance of catches.
Another point in Godwin's favor is how he improved down the stretch last season. In his last two games before injury, he caught 25 passes for 248 yards. His 15 receptions in week 13 against the Falcons were the most of any receiver in a single game last season.
With an average draft pick of 56.75 on NFL.com, Godwin should be available in the sixth round of many drafts. He would make an excellent WR2 for any team, especially in PPR leagues. If he can return to form following his injury, Godwin could be one of the steals of fantasy football in 2022.
Follow Us
Subscribe