Chris Godwin injury: What his status means for Week 1 fantasy football

Pre-game update: Godwin is indeed active for Sunday Night Football vs. the Cowboys. Russell Gage is also active, so it appears the Bucs will have their full stable of wide receivers for Week 1.

Game day update: Chris Godwin is expected to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, per Adam Schefter. He could be limited in game action but is still expected to be active.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin will be a game-time decision this week. Godwin is officially listed as questionable on the Week 1 injury report, ahead of a Sunday night tilt with the Dallas Cowboys.

Though he was listed as a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Friday, he was seen in a non-contact jersey. He missed Thursday’s practice. Godwin and the team have sounded a cautious tone about his status in the lead up to the game.

Fantasy football implications

Game-time decisions are always a tough read for fantasy football managers, and Godwin’s situation is an especially difficult one since they’re not playing until Sunday night. Given that fact, it’s probable wise to leave him out of your lineup this week.

Without Godwin, Mike Evans could see a higher target volume than usual. Another player who could be worth chance in fantasy lineups is Julio Jones. Quarterback Tom Brady has shown a strong connection with the veteran receiver throughout training camp. And if Russell Gage can’t play either—he’s listed as questionable too—that would leave Jones and Evans as the No. 1 and 2 for the Bucs.

The good news is that this isn’t likely to be a prolonged absence for Godwin. The team declined to put him on the PUP list to start the season, meaning they believe he’ll be back within in the first four weeks, and quite possibly on the sooner end.