The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now tied with the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South lead (7-7). Following a close call defeat against the Atlanta Falcons, the team is now looking forward to their week 16 clash with an aim to be on top of their division. However, questions lie on both sides of the field.

Will the Buccaneers’ wide receiver Mike Evans be back from his collarbone troubles? Will Tetairoa McMillan be prepared enough to back his team in the moment of action? Here are all the answers.

Will Mike Evans play in the Week 16 clash against the Panthers?

Mike Evans is expected to play in the Week 16 game against the Carolina Panthers, which will be played Sunday in Charlotte. Evans is coming back from a collarbone injury he suffered in Week 7 when he landed hard after making a catch. The injury forced him to miss several games in the middle of the season.

The Buccaneers’ latest injury report shows Evans was limited on Wednesday, did not practice on Thursday, and was a full participant on Friday. Thursday was listed as a rest day, not a setback. His full practice on Friday strongly suggests he is ready to play.

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Evans returned in Week 15 and looked like himself right away. He caught six passes for 132 yards, giving Tampa Bay a big boost on offense. Even though injuries have limited his games this season, he remains one of the team’s most important weapons. The WR is also chasing an important milestone. He needs to reach 1,000 receiving yards to keep his streak alive, which would extend his record of opening every NFL season of his career with 1,000 yards.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers final injury report

• WR Jaden Smith – IR
• TE Ko Kieft – IR
• LG/C Ben Bredeson – IR
• RG Cody Mauch – IR
• LDE Calijah Kancey – IR
• WLB David Walker – IR
• FS JJ Roberts – IR
• RCB Zyon McCollum – IR

Will Tetairoa McMillan play against the Panthers?

The Carolina Panthers’ wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan recently dealt with a foot/ankle issue that caused him to miss the first practice of the Week 16 preparation. He returned as a limited participant, and despite missing a walk-through session, he showed progress as the team prepares for its next game. This injury concern is more recent than his earlier hamstring tweak from November, which the Panthers treated as a precautionary issue after practice rather than a major setback.

Head coach Dave Canales said the team shut him down for part of practice after “something popped up,” and they were checking on him again to see if he’d be ready for game day.

McMillan was the Panthers’ first-round pick (8th overall, 2025 NFL Draft) and has become a crucial element since then. Through the season, he has about 59 catches for 851 yards and 6 touchdowns, making him one of Carolina’s top offensive threats.

Carolina Panthers final injury report

Questionable:

• T Ikem Ekwonu

Out:

• LB Trevin Wallace
• LDE Tershawn Wharton

Injured Reserve:

• WR David Moore
• RG Robert Hunt
• RG Chandler Zavala
• RG Brady Christensen
• LDE Popo Aumavae
• WLB Patrick Jones II
• LCB Damarri Mathis
• RCB Corey Thornton