2026 Week 6 Fantasy Football: Baker Mayfield Thumb Update

Baker Mayfield is making progress on his dislocated thumb, but don't pencil him back in yet. According to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), Mayfield will test the thumb with a throwing session Wednesday — the first real indicator of where his recovery stands. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles offered cautious optimism, saying "he's getting better," but was quick to add: "Everything right now is speculation."

Mayfield has missed the last two games. The Buccaneers avoided placing him on injured reserve when the injury occurred, expecting a minimum three-week absence. Wednesday marks the start of week three of that window, so a return this week is technically possible — but Bowles made clear the team hasn't even evaluated his grip yet and explicitly ruled out using him as an emergency backup unless he's fully healthy. "If he's not 100 percent, he doesn't need to play," Bowles said.

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield is currently listed as out, and nothing in this report changes that for Week 6 fantasy purposes. The Wednesday session is an evaluation, not a clearance. Until the Buccaneers see how he grips and throws, there's no basis for starting him — or even stashing him on an active roster spot over a healthy QB2. Monitor the practice report Thursday for any designation update.

Jalon Daniels

Daniels is the direct beneficiary here. He's started the last two games and, per ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), has completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 337 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, adding 87 rushing yards. Bowles's comments — especially the insistence that Mayfield won't return until fully healthy — make Daniels a safe start-able option for Week 6 unless the practice report flips the situation entirely. The rushing upside gives him a floor that pure pocket passers don't offer. If you're streaming a QB this week, Daniels is in play.