In the 30th of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Free Agent Signings
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two notable players they acquired in the offseason via free agency. They are running back Kenneth Gainwell of Yazoo City, Mississippi, and defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson of Fort Worth, Texas.
Gainwell signed a two-year contract worth $14 million on March 9. He had spent the last five years playing professional football in the state of Pennsylvania, Gainwell was with the Philadelphia Eagles for four seasons from 2021 to 2024, and was part of the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LIX. Then in 2025, Gainwell played with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2025 with the Steel City, he had six rushes for 20 yards and four catches for 26 yards.
Robinson signed a one-year contract worth $10 million on March 11. He is joining his fifth NFL team after playing four seasons with the Detroit Lions from 2016 to 2019, three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams from 2020 to 2022, one season with the New York Giants in 2023, and the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers in 2024 and 2025. Like Gainwell, Robinson is a Super Bowl champion. He was part of the Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI. This past season in Carolina, Robinson had 65 combined tackles (21 solo tackles and 44 assisted tackles), three tackles for a loss, eight quarterback hits, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery for three yards.
Fantasy Stars
There are no players ranked in the top 10 at any position in fantasy football.
Projected Finish
The Buccaneers have the luxury of playing in the weakest division in the NFL, the NFC South. However, even though it will be weak, it could be very competitive. Don’t forget there was a three-way tie for first last year between the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons at eight wins and nine losses, with the New Orleans Saints only two games back at six wins and 11 losses. The Buccaneers have a good quarterback in Baker Mayfield, and his poise should make a difference. I have the Buccaneers winning the NFC South.
