Chris Godwin Fantasy Football Outlook For 2026: The Most Underpriced WR On The Board?

No doubt about it. I’m ready to get hurt again.

Hopefully Chris Godwin isn’t.

After a mostly healthy start, injuries have derailed the back nine of Godwin’s career. He’s played just 16 games over the past two seasons, with a dislocated ankle in 2024 really impacting his ability as of late. Now entering his age-30 season, Godwin is slowly becoming more of an afterthought in fantasy football drafts. And I get it. He’s old! But now over a full year removed from his devastating ankle injury, I believe Godwin has at least one more strong fantasy showing left in him.

What Is Chris Godwin's Fantasy Football Outlook For 2026?

A Lost Season In 2025

Godwin made his 2025 debut in Week 4 after recovering from his fractured fibula the year prior. Interestingly enough, Godwin was immediately thrust into a large role during his first two games back, logging 86% of the routes, while sporting identical target share and TPRR (20%). The production was brutal, catching 6 of 14 targets for just 52 scoreless yards. Given the poor numbers, it was very fair to wonder just how healthy Godwin was.

The following week gave us our answer.

Starting in Week 5, Godwin began dealing with soreness, and the issue sidelined him throughout all of Week 6’s practice sessions. He was ultimately ruled out and was later listed as week-to-week. It was another fibula injury for Godwin, one that kept him out of action from Weeks 6-12. The Bucs limited Godwin’s usage upon his return, as he logged just 25 of 70 snaps and ran just 42% of routes in a Week 12 blowout against the Rams, a game Baker Mayfield exited at halftime. Over the next two weeks, Tampa Bay ramped up Godwin’s usage, as the veteran climbed to a 76% route share, 22% TPRR and 24% target share. The fantasy production was still underwhelming (10.7 PPR PPG), but we were trending in the right direction.

Then Mike Evans returned.

Evans came back from his collarbone injury in Week 15 and immediately reassumed the role of WR1. From Week 15 on, Evans accounted for 24% of the targets and a whopping 50% of the Bucs’ end-zone looks (more on that later). Godwin actually led the team in route rate (82%), though his 16% TPRR left a little to be desired. If you remove a Week 18 game where Mayfield attempted just 22 passes in a torrential downpour (Godwin was at just 57% of routes), Godwin averaged a solid 14.6 PPR PPG over the final three weeks. But when it was all said and done, it was a mostly lost season for Godwin, finishing with just 33 catches for 360 yards and two touchdowns. His advanced metrics? You guessed it. Also bad.

1.37 YPRR (career-low)
10.9 Yd/Rec (2nd-lowest of career)
1.63 fantasy points per target (63rd)
1.24 yards/team pass attempt (51st)

It’s completely fair to believe that Godwin is a declining player, especially at his age. However, I’m more of the belief that last year’s results had a lot more to do with him not getting back to full strength at any point of the season. And while it may seem like ages ago, we do have to recall what Godwin did the last time he was fully healthy. Godwin kicked off the 2024 campaign red hot, averaging 8.9 targets, 7.1 receptions, 83.6 receiving yards and 19.8 PPR PPG before his season ended in Week 7.

I’m not saying. I’m just saying.

A Bounceback 2026

Heading into the 2026 season, there are a handful of changes in Tampa Bay. Mike Evans is gone, Vita Vea may soon join him and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson comes over from division rival Atlanta. But one thing does remain constant.

Godwin will continue to man the slot for the Bucs.

Robinson said as much earlier this offseason when detailing the wide receiver roles for his new team. That role is often a favorable one for aging wideouts, but especially Godwin, who has been much more efficient as of late when lined up in the slot. Over his last 16 games, Godwin is averaging 2.10 YPRR from the slot compared to 1.49 when lined up elsewhere. A handful of other metrics favor the slot, too.

Production by alignment	Slot	Elsewhere
Yards Per Route Run	2.10	1.49
Targets Per Route Run	33%	21.3%
Yards Per Catch	12.1	9.9
Touchdowns	5	2

Godwin is also averaging 0.48 fantasy points per route run from the slot over his last 16 contests, compared to 0.36 points per route when aligned elsewhere. Now Robinson only deployed 11 personnel 45% of the time with the Falcons last year, but during his first season in Atlanta, the Falcons led the league in three-wide rate (86%). And the personnel in Tampa Bay clearly favors three wide receivers on the field more often than not, which could mean added target competition for Godwin, but also guarantees a heavy slot role.

And even if the Bucs have plenty of viable pass catchers on the field, there’s a good chance Mayfield can support multiple fantasy starters. Since joining the Bucs in 2023, Mayfield ranks seventh in the NFL in passing yards per game (239.9), while his 32.9 pass attempts per game also rank seventh. During that span, Mayfield has also averaged 10.2 pass attempts per game to slot receivers, the sixth-most in football, while only Patrick Mahomes has more total passes to the slot than Baker’s 521.

We could see Tampa Bay flirt with the league lead in pass attempts this year, and it wouldn't shock me. This defense was a pass funnel last year, as opponents called pass 60.4% of the time, the fourth-highest rate in football. If Vita Vea stays, they’ll remain a pass funnel, leading to more fantasy-friendly environments. Following the departure of Jamel Dean, this secondary is a major question mark, so it is very possible we see the Bucs featured in plenty of high-scoring affairs.

Touchdowns haven’t exactly been a huge selling point for Godwin in fantasy over the years. His career-high in scores is nine, which is the only time he’s eclipsed seven in a season. And while I’m not projecting him for double-digit touchdowns this season, there is a clear and obvious Mike Evans-sized red zone void that needs to be filled.

Since Godwin entered the league in 2017, only Davante Adams has seen more end zone targets than Evans’ 134. He’s one of only four players averaging at least one end zone target per game during that span. Godwin, meanwhile, ranks 21st in end zone targets in that time frame (63), averaging 0.53 per game. With Evans’ 35% end zone target share from last year gone, there is a massive opportunity for Godwin to become Mayfield’s go-to target in high leverage situations. And since Mayfield joined Tampa Bay in 2023, only Dak Prescott has more total end zone pass attempts (139).

All of these are strong reasons to believe in a bounceback season from Godwin in 2026. Plenty of volume, more efficient looks and a boost in touchdown upside. But once again, the most compelling argument?

Health.

Well over a year removed from the ankle injury that slowed down his career, Godwin is the healthiest he’s been in quite some time.

Should You Draft Chris Godwin In 2026 Fantasy Drafts?

I understand that clicking Godwin’s name likely won’t result in fist pumps and excited cheers. And it’s not lost on me that it isn’t exactly the sexiest pick you can make in a fantasy draft.

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be the right one.

Godwin is currently coming off Underdog draft boards as the WR42 at 90th overall. You can be worried about his age. You can be worried about his injury history. You can even be worried about his efficiency. But all of those worries are already baked into his ADP. To me, a healthy Godwin should, at the very least, provide a solid weekly floor. And at WR42, there is still a ceiling to be had.