3 under-the-radar Buccaneers who are having a big season so far

It's hard to be a truly unsung player in the NFL — if you play well, you'll get noticed. Sometimes, though a lot of players are playing great football, and that's the case for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs are 6-2, and plenty of players have been a contributing factor.

There have been plenty of notable heroes like Baker Mayfield, Emeka Egbuka and Jamel Dean, but we're looking at some under-the-radar players who have been big contributors up to Tampa Bay's Week 9 bye. Here are three of those players so far this season:

S Tykee Smith

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith (23) and teammates celebrate a fumble recovery against the Seattle Seahawks | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Safety Tykee Smith has been Tampa Bay's answer at strong safety after the team has spent years attempting to find a good pair for Antoine Winfield Jr. Smith not only leads the Buccaneers in tackles with 66, but he's also 10th in the NFL in tackles — the only safety in the top 16.

Smith has been all over the field, netting a fumble recovery against the Seattle Seahawks, nabbing two sacks on the year and eight passes defended. He's been a crucial part of what makes this defense go, and head coach Todd Bowles has used him well ever since moving him from nickel.

WR Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (17) signals first down | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Unlike Smith, Shepard's stats aren't flashy on paper — he's caught 27 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown. Despite that, though, he's been a valuable asset for quarterback Baker Mayfield with receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin going down this year.

Shepard has been a healthy, reliable target for Mayfield this year — per SumerSports, Shepard has a 75% catch rate on all his targets, and he's netting a 0.44 EPA/play this season, making him a positive contributor to Tampa Bay whenever he's on the field. He may not jump off the stat sheet, but his ability to be there for Mayfield as a reliable target amid injuries has allowed Tampa Bay's offense a lot of breathing room en route to six wins so far.

IDL Elijah Roberts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Elijah Roberts (95) against the Buffalo Bills prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Elijah Roberts in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he hasn't just been a contributor — he's worked his way up to being a starter.

Roberts has eight tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery, but he's come up big in lieu of Calijah Kancey's pectoral injury earlier in the year. He's replaced Logan Hall alongside Vita Vea as the team's starter on gamedays, and he's netted 12 total pressures this year. Roberts has been a reliable option for Todd Bowles, and his play has been promising for the future, given that he's just a rookie.

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