Fantasy Football Expectations for Tampa Bay Bucs QB Josh Freeman

Josh Freeman fractured the tip of his thumb on his right throwing hand in last night’s preseason game against the Chiefs.

While it may not sound significant, any time you see the word “fracture” and “throwing hand” in the same sentence, it’s worth analyzing.

By all accounts, Freeman was having a spectacular offseason and had really taken control of the Bucs offense. This injury will delay Tampa’s offensive evolution a little bit. Freeman is scheduled to sit out the rest of the preseason.

The players who lose the most in this are the young receivers the Bucs are trying to develop. Mike Williams has been phenomenal so far, and Sammie Stroughter has really come on late as well. It would have been nice for Tampa to have a couple more preseason games for their first team offense to gel even more.

It looks like Tampa Bay expects him back for the start of the season, but that’s not a guarantee. The beat writers in Tampa are even saying that’s an optimistic viewpoint.

If I’m in a dynasty league and I have an extra roster spot, I’d consider adding Josh Johnson. While there’s no way he steals Freeman’s job, he’s shown a lot of ability in limited action. If I was willing to stash him long-term, it’s very possible he gets a chance to compete for a starting somewhere at some point in his career. The next couple of weeks will provide him a big opportunity for him to showcase his talent.

I’m not worried at all if I’m a Freeman owner in a dynasty league.

This is a minor setback that may not even trickle into the regular season. There’s little doubt it could slow down the Bucs offense at the beginning of the season, but there’s no long-term worry with Freeman. He remains a low-end No. 2 quarterback in fantasy, with a ton of upside.

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