Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Fantasy News

O.J. Howard - Growing alongside Brate

3/16/18

NFL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

O.J. Howard

When Tampa Bay drafted Howard 19th overall last year, it was easy to envision a scenario in which he'd slowly be worked into the offense before eventually supplanting Brate atop the depth chart. The team instead has carved out separate roles for the two players, with Howard mostly serving as a traditional in-line tight end while Brate operates as an H-back and oversized slot receiver. The Bucs will find ways to keep both on the field at the same time, but it could be a bit of a challenge in an offense that also needs to find snaps for wideouts Chris Godwin and Adam Humphries behind starters Mike Evans and Adam Humphries. Barring a trade to free up the logjam of pass catchers, it's hard to see Howard getting the kind of target volume that's needed for stellar fantasy production. He was extremely efficient with his 39 targets as a rookie, catching 26 for 432 yards (16.6 YPR, 11.1 YPT) and six scores in 14 games. He missed the final two weeks due to an ankle injury, but with no report regarding surgery in the time since, he'll likely be available in April for the start of the offseason program.