Cade Otton Injury Update
If you blinked, you missed it: Cade Otton, the tampa bay buccaneers’ reliable tight end, is limping through yet another rough patch right as the season opener creeps up.
Fans barely had time to dust off their jerseys before Coach Todd Bowles set the tone on Wednesday—Otton’s hurting, and it’s not just the same old hamstring issue that haunted him all summer; there’s “another leg injury” alongside it, a kind of cruel pile-up you wouldn’t wish on any player.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received a setback at tight end as head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Cade Otton is dealing with multiple leg injuries. According to a post from @SleeperTBBUCS on X, Bowles revealed that Otton has sustained a new leg issue in addition to the hamstring problem he has already been managing. The coach noted that Otton will be “out for a little bit,” leaving the Buccaneers to adjust without their young tight end for the foreseeable future.
The Buccaneers are expected to be without tight end Cade Otton for a stretch, as head coach Todd Bowles indicated he will miss time due to leg soreness. The update was shared by @SleeperNFL on X, adding to the team’s concerns at the position.
Let’s be honest: Otton’s breakout in 2024 had diehard Bucs fans scribbling his name into their fantasy lineups and halfway considering Cleatus, the Fox Sports robot, as his hype man.
Otton, after being drafted in 2022, was shockingly durable—59 receptions, 600 yards, four touchdowns through a brutally tough season. Then, like a sitcom twist, a knee injury shut him down for the last three games, and now it’s the same old song: missed practices, preseason rust, and fans holding their breath.
Coach Bowles summed it up: “He’s sore. He’s got another leg injury in addition to that hamstring, so he’ll be out a little bit.” The man’s tough, but even that can’t magic away a bum leg. Football gods, can we get a break?
When will Cade Otton return?
The honest truth? No one’s got the crystal ball. Bowles says he “won’t know until next week” whether Otton can suit up for the season opener against the Falcons. Sometimes coaches hide things; sometimes they just don’t know.
Here, it feels like the latter—a game-time decision, the sort that drives fantasy managers up the wall and has sports radio burning through segments with speculative debates.
Otton’s injuries have followed him from training camp through preseason, where he only played part of one game and looked every bit a guy coming off limited reps—a single target, no catches, the usual post-injury awkwardness.
If he’s not back for Week 1, it’s more bad news for a banged-up Bucs offense that’s already without Tristan Wirfs, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan. The receiving corps is so thin at this point, you half expect to see a local high schooler suiting up “just in case.”
But don’t let the gloom set in permanently. There’s hope: Chris Godwin is apparently close to coming off the PUP list, and first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka has been flashing some “that guy” vibes in the preseason. When Otton finally returns, it’ll feel like a fire drill in reverse—the relief after weeks of tension.
Cade Otton Fantasy
Let’s break it down: In fantasy football, Cade Otton was shaping up as a go-to mid-round tight end snag, especially in PPR leagues. Last year, between Weeks 3-13, he hauled in 56 catches for 576 yards in just 11 games—solid, steady, the kind of player you love to find still on the waiver wire late Sunday night.
But fantasy is a heartless mistress when injuries strike. If Otton misses time, Bucs tight ends Payne Durham, Devin Culp, and Ko Kieft are technically next up, but no one’s rushing to add them to lineups unless you’re the type who starts six tight ends for fun (hey, no judgment).
Here’s the real-talk checklist for Otton owners:
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Monitor injury reports daily. The first official update lands one week before kick-off, and Bowles is famously cagey.
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Have a backup plan. If Otton’s status drifts toward “out,” don’t stick with the Bucs’ depth unless you absolutely must. The upside lives elsewhere.
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If he returns healthy, consider slotting him back in, especially if Godwin remains iffy and Mayfield keeps targeting tight ends over the middle.
