The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to try to beat the Miami Dolphins without quarterback Jameis Winston, defensive end William Gholston or cornerback Vernon Hargreaves.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will replace Winston for the second consecutive game, while Robert McClain will likely step in for Hargreaves, who will miss the first game of his NFL career. Gholston has been absent for two games with a neck injury and will be replaced mostly by rotation, and what little depth the Bucs have at defensive end.
Those are blows to the Bucs, but they’re not new. Luke Stocker’s absence is new, though, and doesn’t appear to be related to any injury. The Bucs will play tight end Antony Auclair instead, while first-round pick O.J. Howard is likely to take on most of Stocker’s blocking responsibilities.
As for the Dolphins, they have no injury-related inactives.
Buccaneers inactives: OL Caleb Benenoch, DE William Gholston, CB Vernon Hargreaves, C Joe Hawley, DT Sealver Siliga, TE Luke Stocker, QB Jameis Winston
Dolphins inactives: QB David Fales, CB Jordan Lucas, CB Torry McTyer, RB De’veon Smith, G Isaac Asiata, WR Leonte Carroo