Buccaneers' Brandon Myers: On tap for expanded Week 17 role

Myers will serve as the team's pass-catching tight end in Week 17 versus the Panthers now that Cameron Brate has been placed on IR.

The veteran tight end was originally brought to Tampa before the 2014 campaign in part for his pass-catching chops, a talent he'd demonstrated the two seasons prior by hauling in 126 receptions on 178 targets for 1,328 yards and eight touchdowns with the Raiders and Giants, respectively. However, he's been largely limited in that role during his Bucs tenure, notching just 41 catches over the last three seasons. He should have a chance to turn back the clock to an extent in the season finale, though, as Brate's absence leaves a notable amount of targets on the table that Myers could potentially capitalize on. He'll have the right matchup in this regard as well, given that the Panthers have surrendered the most fantasy points to tight ends in standard scoring formats this season.