Jalon Daniels, Emeka Egbuka, Bucky Irving's Fantasy Outlook After Baker Mayfield's Injury

Fantasy football managers who relied on Baker Mayfield will have to turn elsewhere for the immediate future, but the thumb injury he suffered during Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings will also impact the fantasy production of others on the roster.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Monday that Mayfield will miss at least three weeks, while ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Jalon Daniels will be the new starter.

Daniels will have to prove himself in an NFL offense before fantasy managers put him in their starting lineups, but his rushing ability and preseason performances mean he is worth at least a waiver-wire pickup.

As for top playmakers Emeka Egbuka and Bucky Irving, it is not time for fantasy managers to panic even if their ceilings are lower without Mayfield leading the way. It would be anything but a surprise if the Buccaneers simplify the offense for Daniels, which could mean just getting the ball into the hands of Egbuka and Irving as quickly as possible and letting them go to work.

That means their floors should still be safe, so keep them in your starting lineups.

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In addition to getting the ball to Egbuka and Irving, part of those gameplans could include asking Daniels to use his legs.

And how effectively he does so will determine his fantasy ceiling.

He tallied 14 carries in three preseason games and scored a touchdown on the ground during a win over the New York Jets. He also went 10-of-15 passing for 111 yards in that contest.

Throw in a touchdown pass in Tampa Bay's preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs, and Daniels went from undrafted free agent to the team's backup.

That turned out to be an important development with Mayfield suffering an injury so early in the season.

With no regular-season track record to fall back on when it comes to Daniels, fantasy football managers should approach the situation with some caution. But an impressive performance in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers could clear the way for him to become a realistic starting option in Week 5 against a Dallas Cowboys defense that is 25th in the league in points allowed per game.

There is much more of a track record when it comes to Egbuka and Irving, so there shouldn't be any changes there when it comes to fantasy strategy.

But managers shouldn't be surprised if they are slightly less effective with a backup quarterback running the show.