Wide Receiver · Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Godwin missed 18 games over the past two seasons due to a dislocated and fractured fibula.
- · Fast active start to his 2024 season (50/578/5 on 62 targets), highlighted by his catch rate (80.6%). He was on pace to set career highs in most of his offensive categories in an offense that played at an elite level all year.
- · He struggled to find his rhythm in 2025, leading to one playable game (7/108/1) and eight outcomes with 11.00 PPR fantasy points or fewer.
- · Godwin has gained over 1,000 receiving four times) with two other years (2020 and 2024) on pace but derailed by injuries.
- · He’s scored only 10 touches across his last 62 games.
Question marks
- · The Buccaneers plan to use Emeka Egbuka closer to the line of scrimmage. Does that steal some of Godwin’s possession opportunities? Or will it improve his ability to score?
- · Tampa does have improved receiving depth, with the loss of Mike Evans creating a different flow to their passing game.
- · Godwin starts 2026 at age 30.
Shawn's conclusion
His NFL wide receiving body of work paints a proven floor if Godwin can stay healthy for 17 games. His WR4 profile may not move the needle for some fantasy drafters, but his stats over his last 104 games (5.6 catches for 69 yards and 0.40 touchdowns per matchup – 14.92 PPR fantasy points per game) scream WR2. Tampa thought enough about his ceiling to play him $66 million for three years in 2025.
More on Godwin
Godwin's touchdown production (15 over 41 games) ran lower than expected during his run alongside Tom Brady. In 2022, he set career highs in catches (104) and targets (142), but his receiving yards (1,023) didn't keep pace with his usual output, largely because his per-catch average dipped to 9.8. His best stretch came late in the season, from Week 10 through Week 17, during which Godwin posted 56 catches for 564 yards and three touchdowns on 70 targets over seven starts, including four standout games (6/71/1, 12/110/1, 8/83/1, and 9/120). A hamstring injury had cost him two games earlier in the year.
2023 was a tougher season overall; just two touchdowns limited his ceiling and made his weekly floor shakier than usual. Godwin still cracked 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year (the fourth time in his career), but his catch rate fell to 63.8%, well below his typical range of the previous four seasons (71.1, 77.4, 76.6, and 73.2).
There was a silver lining. His yards per catch rebounded to 12.3, up from 9.8 the year before. Godwin topped 100 yards twice (8/114 and 10/155) and cleared 15.00 fantasy points in two other games (5/68/1 and 3/81/1).
2024 started off promising, as Tampa Bay leaned on him heavily through the first seven games, producing 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns on 62 targets, a pace that, if sustained, would have set career highs across the board, fueled by three big games (8/83/1, 7/117/1, and 11/125/2). Unfortunately, a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7 cut that momentum short.
Godwin suited up for only two games (3/26 and 3/26 on 14 targets) over his first 11 weeks last season due to a foot injury, followed by a broken leg. Over his final seven starts, he scored over 10.00 fantasy points in four contests (3/78, 5/55, 4/20/1, and 7/108/1).
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