The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a win in the worst way in Week Four, and they are entering uncharted territory by starting undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback in place of the injured Baker Mayfield. Daniels may end up being a very pleasant surprise, as he has the physical talents and mental acuity to shine in his starting debut, but he could definitely use some help. He, and Buccaneer fans, need a hero to step up. Who might that hero be? Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix, Buccaneers.com Contributor Gabriel Kahaian and I are trying to make that prediction in this week's installment of our season-long pick-to-click style competition.
The rules to this competition are simple: Each week, Bri, Gabe and I pick one Buccaneers player a piece on Friday and explain why we think he is poised for a big game. We can't duplicate picks so order may matter, and that's why we rotate that order each week. Following the game, Team Reporter Casey Phillips serves as our unbiased judge, picking which of the three selected players had the best game, in her opinion. She is also allowed to issue a "push" if there simply isn't a best choice.
I've watched a lot of "Law & Order" through the years, so I think I'm pretty much an expert on how judges operate. I think they generally try to avoid inventing new laws and setting new precedents, but that doesn't seem to be a hangup for Judge Casey. Here she comes down like King Solomon and unlike the two mothers in that story, I think we have no recourse but to accept the ruling. Here sayeth our trailblazing judge:
"I don't like to back down from a tough choice, but I may have to say this was a tie between Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. It's tough to pick Baker when the offense struggled overall. But his 40-yard TD to Ted Hurst was beautiful. Tykee Smith already had 4 tackles on the first drive alone. And both Tykee and Antoine get credit for a defensive performance that didn't allow a play in the red zone, didn't allow a run game to get going, and forced more three and outs than I can remember in a long time. So we will say Gabe and Bri get a tie for this one, and hopefully that will be the final tie I have to pick for the season since it feels like cheating."
Feels that way, huh? Wonder why. Also, awarding the win to two players based on the overall defensive numbers seems a bit suspect to me. Presumably if I had picked, say, Al-Quadin Muhammad, we would have a three-way split on our hands, right? I sure hope Judge Casey is too busy to read these Friday articles or I have probably talked my way into a zero for the season. Anyway, what's done is done and here is our updated leaderboard:
Gabe: 2.5
Bri: 0.5
Scott: 0
Push: 0 (just a reminder that this option exists)
It's Week Four and we have rotated back to our opening-week pick order, which has Gabe ready to start us off. What say you, Gabriel?
Gabriel Kahaian: David Walker
Back in April of 2025, the Bucs' draft room was ecstatic after they were able to land small-school sensation outside linebacker David Walker in the fourth round. Walker was a standout from Central Arkansas, an FCS program, where the sixth-year senior was a three-time Consensus All-American. The excitement only grew once he stepped into the building as the staff saw the makings of an impact player in the front seven. Sadly, Walker tore his ACL early in training camp and never got to put on the pads as a rookie. He spent the year on the sideline before returning for a full offseason program in 2026. Now, just weeks into Tampa Bay's 2026 campaign, the pass rusher is making a name for himself.
Walker currently leads the Bucs in sacks (2.0) and shares the team lead in tackles for loss (3). He has achieved this while playing limited defensive snaps, making the most of his opportunities. Walker did not see a defensive snap in Week One against the Cincinnati Bengals, but logged some action on special teams. After notching his first-career sack against the Cleveland Browns in Week Two, his snap count more than doubled from nine to 19 last week against the Minnesota Vikings. With that extra action, Walker was able to bring down the elusive Kyler Murray on a third-down sack in the second quarter.
With the Green Bay Packers coming to town, expect Walker's snap count to keep climbing. Green Bay has struggled to find solid rhythm on the ground this season, ranking last in the league at 48.7 rushing yards per game. That is bad news against a Tampa Bay defense that ranks second in the NFL against the run. If the Packers are unable to find ample success with the ground game, they will rely on Jordan Love to air it out. That means more pass-rush chances for Walker to capitalize and increase his lead in the sack category.
Brianna Dix: Chris Godwin Jr.
Hard to argue with Gabe's pick but I am going to go with a player on the offensive side of the ball in Chris Godwin Jr. The Packers will undoubtedly bring pressure on undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels and the young signal-caller will need a compact release. I predict Godwin will serve as the beneficiary this week and go-to target for Daniels. Historically, Godwin has faced the Packers four times in the regular and postseason during his tenure, combining for 337 total yards on 22 receptions, including 17 receiving first downs.
Through Week Three, Godwin is tied for the second-highest receiving percentage in the NFL at 90.9%. Among receivers with 10-plus targets, Godwin has an NFL-best 50% forced missed tackle rate and his five forced missed tackles are tied for the second-most in the league, per Next Gen Stats. Additionally, since 2019, his 72.7% catch rate is the second-highest among all players with 300-plus receptions during that span. Godwin is a friendly target for the quarterback and possesses physicality in contested catch situations and uses his frame to box out defenders over the middle of the field. He plays with elite body control and I believe this could be the breakout game Bucs' fans have been waiting for from the RAC-artist.
Scott Smith: Kenny Gainwell
Speaking of suspect decisions (Casey), choosing a player who has 16 touches and 43 yards from scrimmage through three games might seem like a reach. And maybe it is, but my philosophy in this competition has always been to swing big. When I win, I want it to be noteworthy, and Gainwell having his first big game as a Buccaneer would definitely be noteworthy. And encouraging for the Buccaneers' offense going forward.
Coming off a stellar season in Pittsburgh in which he topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage, caught 73 passes and was chosen by his teammates as the Steelers' MVP, Gainwell signed a relatively lucrative deal to join the Buccaneers. The size of the contract makes it quite clear that the Buccaneers intend for their new back to be a very significant part of the offense alongside Bucky Irving. As it has turned out through the first three weeks, however, Irving has had the hot hand and the Bucs' offense as a whole hasn't been effective enough to create as many opportunities as expected for both backs. The Buccaneers' 178 offensive plays ran through three weeks ranks 23rd in the NFL.
What I'm banking on is that, even if Irving remains hot (which I hope is the case), this is the game where the coaches make sure they get Gainwell his chances on offense. Green Bay's rush defense has been one of the league's worst so far, allowing 138.7 yards per game, so there's an opportunity for both backs to feed. And if the rookie Daniels is following a script, as Bri suggests, of getting the ball out of his hand quickly, a pass-catching back like Gainwell can be the perfect outlet. Also, the Bucs are using Gainwell on kickoff return, and last week he had all six of the team's runbacks, including one for 40 yards. Every little bit helps in Performance Preview, and if this one is close in Judge Casey's eyes, a game-altering return or two could swing the difference.
