Two primetime opponents collide as the Buccaneers try to rebound in Week 2 against the Texans after a rough offensive showing in Week 1. Baker Mayfield and the Tampa attack sputtered on quick throws and couldn’t establish a run game behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, while Mike Evans operated largely as a decoy. Defensively, Tampa showed pressure and played with energy, and Antoine Winfield Jr. appeared healthy and impactful. Inactives for Tampa Bay include Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin Jr., complicating plans but not crushing them entirely. Houston’s matchup offers a chance for the Bucs to reestablish rhythm, while Houston aims to salvage a shaky start in prime time.

The Week 2 slate features a familiar rematch vibe with a quick turnaround from Week 1’s uneven execution. Tampa Bay will lean on a retooled game plan to maximize Mayfield’s strengths and get Evans more involved, while Houston hopes to exploit any lingering concerns in Tampa’s backfield and secondary. The late-week impulse for fantasy managers is to reassess target share, red-zone opportunities, and how inactives shift upside for several skill players in a high-stakes environment.

Houston hosts Tampa Bay in Week 2 Monday Night Football as C.J. Stroud faces Baker Mayfield with both teams chasing their first win. Key receivers are sidelined: Christian Kirk for Houston and Chris Godwin for Tampa Bay, forcing bigger roles for Nico Collins, Emeka Egbuka, and Mike Evans.

Houston sits as a 2.5-point favorite with a 42.5 over/under. The SportsLine projection model, boasting a long run of accurate top picks, leans toward the over and toward one side of the spread in a game that could hinge on rookie gains from Collins and Egbuka and Mayfield’s connection with Evans despite the injuries.

The narrative centers on fantasy relevance: Collins' bounce-back prospects, Egbuka’s emergence, and Fairbairn’s kicking in a likely tight contest. The model’s track record adds weight to the bet and lineup calls for managers seeking value in a game with multiple injury-driven implications.