Is Chris Godwin playing today? Latest on Buccaneers WR’s injury for Week 13 vs Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers get to face a lowly opponent today, but they will still need Chris Godwin's services to make things easier. The wide receiver has been nursing a neck injury, which can always be a tricky recovery. The star wide receiver has not missed a game this season, but today may be a difficult one for him to get into. Is he expected to play?

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Is Chris Godwin playing today?

Chris Godwin is expected to play today, but there is one caveat. The team will monitor him during warmups to ensure his neck feels well enough to go. Football hits often move players rapidly, which can cause neck issues. If Godwin's neck is already struggling, the risk of reinjury or worse is certainly there.

The Carolina Panthers have just one win on the season and they are as hapless as any team in recent memory. Still, the team expects Godwin to be able to play.

Ian Rapoport tweeted on X, formerly known as Twitter:

"Bucs WR Chris Godwin, listed as questionable with a neck injury, plans to play Sunday vs. Carolina as long as he wakes up feeling good, per me and Tom Pelissero."

Unless he struggles in warmups, look for the pass catcher to be a go and get plenty of targets from Baker Mayfield. Unfortunately, the game is a rare late-window start for both teams, which means fantasy managers won't know for sure if he's playing until the 1:00 ET games are well underway.

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Chris Godwin fantasy expectations in Week 13

Chris Godwin gets a matchup with arguably the worst team in the entire NFL, but that doesn't necessarily ensure a good game. In fact, the Panthers have been shockingly stingy against wide receivers this year.

Is Chris Godwin going to play?

They are the fourth-best defense against fantasy wide receivers, so don't expect him or Mike Evans to put up career days against a terrible team. They might both struggle as so many wideouts have before them this year.

Furthermore, the Panthers are expected to get both Jeremy Chinn and Jaycee Horn back this week. That significantly bolsters a secondary that's somehow been elite against wideouts.

With that said, Horn would likely cover Evans more often than not, and the backup cornerbacks in Carolina leave a lot to be desired. You may want to consider other options for the banged up Godwin in a bad matchup regardless.