Lions, Buccaneers Divisional Round Fantasy Football Takeaways: Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and More

The Divisional Round of the NFL postseason wrapped up with two great games on Sunday.

Let’s take a look at the first game of the day, a matchup between the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and discuss some things from a fantasy football perspective.

We already looked at the Divisional Round games between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers and Green Packers. Check back later for the writeup for the final Divisional Round game.

Lions Pull Away, then Hold on Late

The Lions, Buccaneers was a back-and-forth battle. Detroit never trailed, but also only led by one score most of the game. The Lions scored the first two touchdowns in the fourth quarter before the Bucs scored to get within eight points. Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game late, but were picked off, sealing a 31-23 win for Detroit.

Detroit went for 391 total yards of offense in the contest, so there was no shortage of solid fantasy outings. The Lions didn’t turn the ball over and simply didn’t make many mistakes.

Quarterback Jared Goff threw the ball 43 times, completing 30 for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also attempted six rushes, gaining 6 yards.

He’s now thrown for 564 yards and three touchdowns this postseason, but most importantly has taken care of the ball. With all the offensive weapons the Lions have, Goff will remain a decent fantasy option until the team’s postseason run fizzles out.

Detroit’s 1-2 backfield duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 161 total yards.

Gibbs rushed nine times for 74 yards and a touchdown. He caught all four of his targets for an additional 40 yards.

Montgomery attempted 10 rushes, gaining 33 yards. He hauled in three of his four targets for 14 yards.

As you can see from the numbers, Gibbs was much more explosive with his touches on Sunday. He had a long run of 31 and a long reception of 20 yards. They’ve split the workload almost 50/50 this postseason.

It’s typically hard for two running backs from the same team to deliver solid fantasy outings, but Gibbs and Montgomery continue to defy the odds. The running game is a huge part of the Lions’ offense, and there’s no reason to expect them to abandon either guy next week. I’d actually think they lean even more heavily on them in an effort to take the crowd out of the game. We’ll cover the NFC Championship Game outlook later in the week, so be sure to check back for that.

No surprise here, but Amon-Ra St. Brown led the pass catchers. He was targeted 14 times, catching eight for 77 yards and a touchdown. His long reception was just 16 yards, so even though Tampa Bay made him work for his yards, he still delivered a good fantasy outing.

St. Brown is simply one of the best wideouts in the game, and he’s going to get his numbers in every game he plays in. He’s got the best chance to score on the team and is pretty easily Goff’s favorite target. St. Brown should remain in starting fantasy playoff or DFS lineups if you can make it work.

Tight end Sam LaPorta was back to his old ways after being slowed a bit last week with his injury. LaPorta finished with 65 yards on nine catches and 11 targets.

The injury is still slowing the rookie tight end a bit, but you can safely have him in your lineups from here on out. He’s the favorite to be the top tight end drafted going into next season already, and these kinds of big outings in the playoffs will only bump his average draft position up some more.

Jameson Williams and Josh Reynolds also made some big grabs for the Lions. Williams finished with 35 yards on two catches and four targets, while Reynolds had 27 yards and a score on two grabs and three targets.

Williams’ numbers so far in the playoffs haven’t been very special from a fantasy perspective, so he should remain out of starting lineups if possible. Reynolds has combined for 107 yards and a touchdown on seven catches and 10 targets through two games, so if Kalif Raymond remains out next week, Reynolds will be a trendy sleeper play.

Backup tight end Brock Wright made a 29-yard reception on his only catch and target. He’s capable of making a grab or two a game, but should be avoided in fantasy lineups - even if LaPorta were to miss a game.

Buccaneers Fall Short

Tampa Bay finished with 408 total yards of offense, so there were several solid fantasy outings. Two turnovers killed the Bucs’ chances.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield finished 26-of-41 passing on the day, going for 349 yards and three touchdowns, but two interceptions held the team back and kept him from a monster fantasy point total. Mayfield added 15 rushing yards on two scrambles.

Mayfield was a surprisingly good starting quarterback - both in real life and fantasy - this season. He definitely earned himself a starting job for next season, whether it be in Tampa Bay or somewhere else. He might be a sleeper option next season in fantasy drafts if he returns to Tampa Bay, as a second year in the offense should boost his overall numbers - just like he did in the second half of this season.

Running back Rachaad White had great numbers per touch by the end of the game, but I’d think the team wishes they’d gotten him the ball a bit more. He rushed nine times for 55 yards and added 36 receiving yards and a score on four grabs and five targets.

White was a fantasy stud this season, going over 1,500 total yards and scoring nine total touchdowns. He'd probably benefit from Mayfield coming back - instead of having a new starting QB alongside him. I see White projected around RB10 off the board in early 2024 mock drafts, and that seems like a steal after what he did this season.

Backup RB Chase Edmonds tallied 37 total yards on just six touches. He’s a free agent this offseason, and is a decent handcuff option in drafts regardless of where he lands.

Wideout Mike Evans went for 147 yards and a touchdown on eight grabs and 12 targets in what could have been his last game in Tampa Bay.

Despite being 30 years old, Evans doesn’t look like he’s slowing down. He went over 1,000 receiving yards for the 10th straight season (his entire career) and scored 13 touchdowns. Seeing where he’s going in early mock drafts and seeing his production this season, Evans looks like another great value pick. I’m fascinated to see where he lands.

Tight end Cade Otton had another strong outing, tallying 65 yards and a touchdown on five catches and eight targets.

Otton was inconsistent for most of the season, but tallied 154 combined receiving yards and a touchdown on 13 catches and 19 targets in two postseason games. He looks poised for a bigger offensive role going into next year, especially if Evans leaves in free agency. Otton might be worth a pick in the later rounds of drafts depending on how the offense looks.

Tampa Bay didn’t get a lot of production out of many other receivers.

Chris Godwin finished with 40 yards after catching half of his eight targets. Trey Palmer was limited to 32 yards on two catches and targets. David Moore had an 11-yard reception on his lone target. Those three could have much larger offensive roles if Evans isn’t retained.

However, if Evans isn’t brought back, I’d be shocked if Tampa Bay doesn’t sign a veteran wideout in free agency, or draft a couple receivers. If the team can restock at the skill positions and get Mayfield back, this is a sneaky good offense going into next season.