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Baker Mayfield is having a strong 2023 fantasy football season in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He currently ranks as the overall QB17 and has finished among the top 12 quarterbacks six times this season. This makes him a borderline QB1 on many fantasy rosters as he has the Buccaneers in the mix for a potential spot in the NFL Playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, as well as his fantasy managers, Mayfield came away from their most recent game with an ankle injury. The issue forced him out of the contest early, and while he was able to return to the football, it potentially puts his Week 13 status in jeopardy.
Baker Mayfield injury update
During the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 12 game against the Indianapolis Colts, Baker Mayfield was forced to exit early with an apparent ankle injury. He was initially questionable to return, but was able to do so. While this was an encouraging development, he reportedly needed to have an MRI on Monday to assess the situation.
According to head coach Todd Bowles (via ESPN):
"The MRI was negative. He has a sore ankle. We'll see how he's feeling during the week, but it came out negative so that's a good thing."
It's surely a positive update that the MRI reportedly showed no structural damage to Mayfield's injured ankle. This will give him an opportunity to potentially avoid missing any time, but his response to treatment during the week will likely determine his availability. His name is one to keep an eye on when the Buccaneers release their first Week 13 injury report on Wednesday.
What happened to Baker Mayfield?
Mayfield injured his ankle during a scrambling play in Week 12 when the Buccaneers faced off against the Colts. He was seen limping after the injury and was announced as questionable to return. He only ended up missing the final four plays of the current drive and returned to the game the next time that the Buccaneers' offense took the field.
The quarterback then played the remainder of the contest with a heavily taped ankle and admitted after the game that it was sore. While his MRI reportedly showed no structural damage, his practice activity during the week and official listing on the injury report will give a better idea on his potential availability.
When will Baker Mayfield return?
The fact that Mayfield was able to return and complete the game against the Colts, as well as his clean MRI, gives him a good shot of playing in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers.
According to head coach Todd Bowles via ESPN:
"I know he's pretty sore right now. We'll try to give him a break when he needs one during the week and see how he feels. I've got to see how he's moving."
It sounds as though Mayfield might test his ankle during the Buccaneers' Week 13 practice sessions before Bowles makes a determination about his availability. If he is unable to play, Kyle Trask should be expected to fill in as the starter.
