Buccaneers QB Uncertainty: Mayfield Returns, But Prep for Daniels

Baker Mayfield is set to return to practice Wednesday, but Tampa Bay isn't banking on his availability yet. Coach Todd Bowles said the Buccaneers will prepare as if Jalon Daniels will start at quarterback — a clear signal that the QB situation remains unsettled heading into Week 7 at Carolina.

The survivor-pick read on Tampa Bay

This is an easy fade for anyone weighing the Buccaneers as a survivor pick. Tampa Bay is only a 1.5-point favorite on the road at Carolina in Week 7 — one of the thinnest spreads on the board and exactly the kind of near-coin-flip survivor players should steer clear of. Add the quarterback uncertainty, with the team openly planning around a backup, and there's simply no reason to burn the Bucs here.

The outlook doesn't get much more compelling in the following weeks. Tampa Bay hosts Atlanta in Week 8 as a 4.5-point favorite — playable in a vacuum, but worth monitoring the QB picture before committing — then flips to a 3.5-point underdog at Chicago in Week 9. None of those lines scream "safe pick," and the Mayfield-or-Daniels question only adds risk.

If you're deciding who to pick this week, there are cleaner options than a road team favored by under two points with an unsettled quarterback room. Keep Tampa Bay on the shelf until the spread and the starter both line up. For more weekly breakdowns, check our NFL survivor pool picks.