Baker Mayfield Returns To Practice, Diminishes Jalon Daniels' Fantasy Outlook

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have awaited the return of Baker Mayfield amid a lackluster 1-5 start, and could have good news heading into Week 7. Mayfield has missed each of the team’s last three games after suffering a thumb injury during a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. 

Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels made three starts in Mayfield’s absence, leading the team to its lone win of the season thus far, taking down the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. Daniels may return to his spot as Tampa Bay’s QB2, with Mayfield taking the practice field ahead of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. 

Mayfield returned to practice on Wednesday, wearing a glove to support the injured finger on his throwing hand, elevating optimism over a Week 7 appearance following his three-game absence. The star quarterback has endured a tough start to the 2026 campaign, and actually averaged fewer fantasy points than Daniels in each signal-caller’s three-game stretch this season. 

In a must-win game for the Buccaneers, though, Mayfield could present a compelling start case for Week 7 fantasy lineups, despite the team’s lackluster start. He may not present the rushing upside to that of his rookie counterpart in the quarterback room, but offers an undeniably higher ceiling, closing the 2025 season ranked as QB12, ahead of players like Jaxson Dart, Jordan Love and Lamar Jackson. 

Let’s explore Mayfield’s potential fantasy outlook for Week 7, should he manage to make his return from injury: 

Baker Mayfield’s Return Shuts Down Jalon Daniels’ Fantasy Outlook After 3-Game Surge

Daniels flashed tremendous leadership and plenty of notable qualities for a starting quarterback in his first three games. His production didn’t consistently translate to fantasy, though the UDFA rookie mustered one top-20 finish during his first three career starts. 

With Mayfield back in the lineup, Daniels will serve as a solid injury handcuff should the star quarterback endure other injuries during the season, but offers minimal value for Week 7 as Mayfield prepares to take the field. Considering the must-win nature of Tampa’s matchup against Carolina, paired with a favorable matchup against the NFL’s 25th-ranked defense in yardage, Mayfield projects to break out for fantasy lineups after averaging just 12.4 points through his first three games. 

The Buccaneers are looking to keep playoff hopes alive, and their offense is ready to find its next gear during the season’s most-crucial stretch. Historically, Mayfield has elevated fantasy production in big games throughout his career, a trend that he’s likely to maintain against a Panthers defense that has struggled at times this season. 

He enters Week 7 with an ECR ranking of QB29, but could easily outperform such projections. I’m expecting Mayfield’s best performance of the young season thus far against Carolina on Sunday. 

Read More Fantasy On SI News