There was a stretch in 2024 when Otton looked like a future Hall of Famer and a standout Fantasy option, but he couldn't sustain that level of production. This year, Otton is only worth drafting with a late-round pick in deeper leagues. In Week 7 last season, Otton stepped up when Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hamstring) went down. He had three games in a row with at least 18 PPR points, and it appeared like he would be a go-to target for Baker Mayfield. But when Evans returned and Jalen McMillan emerged, Otton disappeared, and it's hard to expect standout production from this season since Godwin is back as a free agent and Tampa Bay added rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka. There will be moments where Otton can help Fantasy managers, likely when he finds the end zone, but he won't get consistent targets given the Buccaneers' crowded receiving corps. At best, you can add Otton off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.
Otton didn't make a catch on two targets in Saturday's 17-14 preseason win over the Steelers.
Otton has been sidelined for much of camp by a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice Monday. His participation in this contest is further confirmation that he should be on track to start the regular season, barring a recurrence of the issue. Otton played on three offensive drives with some of the Buccaneers' other starting skill-position players, including Bucky Irving.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Returns to practice
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Otton (hamstring) is participating in practice Monday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Otton has missed roughly two weeks of practice, plus Tampa Bay's preseason opener against Tennessee on Aug. 9, due to a lingering hamstring injury, so it's encouraging to see him back on the practice field. It remains to be seen whether Otton is limited or practicing in full, though it wouldn't be surprising if the Buccaneers opt to ramp up the starting TE's activity level in his return to the field. Otton's next opportunity to suit up for preseason reps will arrive Saturday versus the Steelers.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Still not practicing
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Otton (hamstring) is not practicing Tuesday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Otton has been sidelined for just over one week due to what head coach Todd Bowles indicated is a mild hamstring strain, so it's likely the Buccaneers are simply being cautious with the the fourth-year pro. The starting tight end could continue to sit out practices leading up to Tampa Bay's preseason opener against Tennessee on Aug. 9, but at this stage there still appear to be no concerns about his availability for Week 1. In the meantime, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Year 2 breakout candidate Devin Culp will benefit from increased chances for first-team reps.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Sidelined by hamstring
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Otton missed practice Sunday and Monday because of a mild hamstring injury, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said the team wants to be cautious with Otton and a few other players that have minor injuries. The tight end may continue to miss practices, but it doesn't sound like there's concern about his Week 1 availability. Otton led all TEs in snap share (in active games) each of the past two seasons, logging 96.3 percent in 2023 and 91.9 percent in 2024.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Missing practice again
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Otton (undisclosed) is missing a second straight practice Monday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
He likely has an unreported injury, though not necessarily a significant one. Including playoffs, Otton has played 51 of a possible 55 games since the Buccaneers made him a fourth-round pick in 2022. He's mostly put up mediocre receiving numbers on huge snap counts, except for Weeks 7-9 of last season when he put up a 25-258-3 line over a three-game stretch while Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans were injured. Otton led all TEs in snap share (in active games) each of the past two seasons, logging 96.3 percent in 2023 and 91.9 percent in 2024.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Two catches in return to action
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Otton secured both targets for 32 yards in the Buccaneers' 23-20 wild-card loss to the Commanders on Sunday night.
Making his return from a three-game absence due to a knee injury, Otton finished tied with multiple teammates for second in receptions and targets while checking in third in receiving yards. Despite the three absences to close out the regular season, Otton still recorded a career-best 59 receptions, 600 receiving yards and 87 targets across 14 games, while also tying a career best with four touchdown grabs. The 2022 fourth-round pick also finished with a career-high 10.2 yards per catch with the help of a new personal best of seven grabs of 20-plus yards. With the final year of his rookie contract on tap in 2025, Otton may be a prime candidate for an extension this offseason.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Active versus Washington
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Otton (knee) is listed as active for Sunday night's wild-card round game against the Commanders.
Though Otton was deemed a full practice participant Thursday and Friday, he approached the Buccaneers' postseason opener listed as questionable. In his return from a three-game absence, Otton should reclaim his role as a key pass catcher for QB Baker Mayfield alongside WRs Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, with fellow TEs Payne Durham and Ko Kieft also on hand to mix in. Prior to sustaining his knee injury, Otton made his mark from a fantasy perspective by recording a 59/600/4 receiving line (on 87 targets) over the course of 14 games.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Listed as questionable after full practice
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Otton (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Commanders.
Otton is on track to return from a three-game absence following full practice participation Thursday and Friday, although coach Todd Bowles stopped short of promising the tight end will play. Bowles did confirm that Otton is trending in the right direction, per Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site, which means Payne Durham and Devin Culp likely will fall back to minimal roles after making significant contributions to Tampa Bay's passing game over the final few weeks of the regular season.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Gets back to full Thursday
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Otton (knee) practiced fully Thursday.
This marks the first time Otton has been listed as anything other than a DNP or limited on Buccaneers practice reports since showing up with a left knee injury during Week 16 prep. He's missed the last three games as a result, but following up Wednesday's capped walkthrough with a full session one day later puts him on a path to return to action for Sunday night's wild-card game against the Commanders. There's a chance he may share TE reps with Payne Durham and even Devin Culp if the Buccaneers opt to ease Otton back into action.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Progressing from knee injury
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Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Otton (knee) is "trending in the right direction" and would have been a limited participant Wednesday if the team had held a normal practice, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
The Buccaneers held a walk-through session rather than a more strenuous practice, and they'll presumably list Otton as a limited participant on their first official injury report of the week. He missed the final three games of the regular season due to the knee injury, allowing Payne Durham to step in as the starter while Devin Culp took on some of the passing-down snaps. An every-down player when healthy throughout his NFL career, Otton might have a somewhat lesser role if he makes it back for Sunday's wild-card matchup with Washington.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Doubtful for Sunday
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Otton (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Saints.
Otton was a limited practice participant Thursday and Friday but apparently didn't show enough for the Bucs to be confident in his Week 18 availability. The good news for Tampa Bay is that fellow tight ends Payne Durham (quadriceps) and Devin Culp (ribs) both made enough progress throughout the week to avoid injury designations. Durham figures to start and get the most snaps, with Culp subbing in some for passing situations.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Returns to practice Thursday
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Otton (knee) was limited at practice Thursday.
This marks Otton's first on-field work since a limited session on Friday, Dec. 20, so there's a chance he's fighting to make an appearance in the Buccaneers' regular-season final Sunday against the Saints. At the very least, he may have to maintain his activity level Friday in order to be listed as anything more than questionable for that contest. Fellow TE Payne Durham (quadriceps) also was limited Thursday, while rookie Devin Culp (ribs) upgraded from limited to full, so the latter appears as if he could be the biggest beneficiary if either or both of Otton and/or Durham are inhibited or out this weekend.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Won't play Sunday
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Coach Todd Bowles said Friday that Otton (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Otton thus will miss a second game in a row due to a left knee injury that has allowed him to practice only once (limited last Friday) over the last two weeks of prep. Payne Durham will take on most of the TE reps for the Buccaneers in Week 17, which amounted to five catches (on seven targets) for 29 yards on a 92 percent snap share this past Sunday at Dallas. Otton will turn his focus to getting healthy enough for a Week 18 matchup with the Saints.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Predictably ruled out
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Otton (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's contest against the Cowboys, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
This was predictable, as Otton was listed as doubtful following Friday's final injury report. Given the starting end won't travel with the team to Dallas, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Devin Culp will likely act as a positional platoon in an effort to replace Otton's multi-faceted capabilities.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Doubtful for Sunday
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Otton (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Otton returned to practice Friday as a limited participant, using a large brace over his left knee, with Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles telling reporters that he expected the tight end to be a game-time decision Sunday. Things may not have gone as well in practice as Bowles was hoping for, and the Bucs now consider Otton unlikely to play, leaving Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Devin Culp as candidates to pick up extra snaps at tight end. Durham has been getting the most playing time of the bunch in recent weeks, but he's caught just two passes all season (which is two more than Kieft or Culp).
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: DNP again Thursday
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Otton (knee) was a non-participant at Thursday's practice.
Otton has yet to take part in drills this week while donning a knee brace on the side at practice, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. In the event that Otton isn't able to play Sunday in Dallas, offensive coordinator Liam Coen expressed confidence that Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and even rookie seventh-rounder Devin Culp will be able to fill in capably for Otton, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Ultimately, the Buccaneers may make a ruling on Otton's upcoming availability as soon as they post their final Week 16 injury report Friday.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: TEs to Sit
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Otton has gone five games in a row without a touchdown, and he's been limited to four targets or less in three of his past four games. The emergence of Jalen McMillan has limited Otton's production, and he has 35 receiving yards or less in four of his past five outings. Dallas has also allowed just one tight end to eclipse 50 receiving yards in the past seven games.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Tending to knee injury
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Otton didn't practice Wednesday due to a knee injury.
Since earning 10-plus targets in three consecutive games from Weeks 7 through 9, Otton has mustered a 15-179-0 line on 25 targets over the last five games. The downturn in production was likely a byproduct of Mike Evans' return to the lineup Week 12, but Otton also has just three red-zone targets over the last four games and hasn't scored a touchdown during that time. Otton's health is now worth tracking as the Buccaneers prepare for Sunday's contest at Dallas.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Two grabs in Week 15 win
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Otton secured two of three targets for 24 yards in the Buccaneers' 40-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
Starting wideouts Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan combined for 14 receptions, 238 yards and three touchdown catches, leaving little else for the rest of Tampa Bay's air attack. That included Otton, who posted his lowest yardage total since Week 6 and tied his second-lowest target tally of the campaign as well. Nevertheless, the third-year tight end remains an important complementary part of the passing game and could see an uptick in work during a favorable Week 16 road matchup against the Cowboys.
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Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Team-high yardage total Sunday
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Otton brought in three of four targets for 70 yards in the Buccaneers' 28-13 win over the Raiders on Sunday.
The third-year tight end finished with a team-high receiving yardage figure and ranked second in receptions as well. The highlight of Otton's afternoon was a 44-yard reception in the fourth quarter that helped set up the Buccaneers' final touchdown of the game, and Sunday marked his most productive showing since a Week 9, 77-yard effort against the Chiefs. Otton should continue to be an integral part of the Buccaneers' shorthanded passing attack in a Week 15 road matchup against the Chargers.
