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Jameis Winston ACTIVE in Week 15

Bucs QB will start against the Lions despite hairline fracture in thumb.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston throws the ball against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston is active for Week 15 vs. the Detroit Lions on Sunday and will start. Reports had already surfaced that Winstons was going to start this game, per coach Bruce Arians. Winston injured his right thumb (throwing hand) and has a hairline fracture. That didn’t hold him back when he tossed a career-high 456 yards in a win over the Indianapolis Colts last week.

Fantasy Football Analysis: Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston

So even though its a thumb injury on his throwing hand, I think Winston will fight through any pain he’s experiencing and be fine to start today. He’s been arguably the most valuable fantasy football QB all season, ranking 6th among QBs in fantasy points heading into Week 15 despite tons of turnovers and a benching along the way. Winston will operate without top WR Mike Evans, so that’s a bit of a downgrade. Let’s not forget though that Chris Godwin is still in the mix and Breshad Perriman has stepped up recently.

While it’s tough to trust Winston in any spot, his passing volume is just too high to ignore. Plus, this matchup is ideal for December. The Lions are allowing 276.5 passing yards per game, third-highest in the NFL. Weather won’t be a factor inside at Detroit and the Lions defense has only forced five INTs all season! This may be the perfect storm for Winston-Godwin.