Russell Gage

Russell Gage

28-Year-Old Wide ReceiverWR
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
Questionable
Injury Knee
Est. Return 5/1/2024
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Gage's first season in Tampa Bay in 2022 saw the veteran record 51 receptions, 426 yards and five touchdowns on 70 targets across 13 games. His short-area role led to him posting the second-lowest yards per target of his career (6.1) and setting a new low-water mark in YPC (8.4). Looking ahead to 2023, Gage's outlook is somewhat difficult to ascertain, considering he'll be working in a new offense and with a new coordinator and position coach. Plus, he'll see a significant downgrade at quarterback from the retired Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask. One constant should be his slotting on the depth chart, as he projects to continue serving as the No. 3 wideout behind Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. That went out the window when Gage suffered a season-ending injury in training camp, however. Trey Palmer, Deven Thompkins and perhaps David Moore will compete for the third wide-receiver role to replace Gage. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Buccaneers in March of 2022.
Contract option declined
WRFree Agent
Knee
March 11, 2024
Gage (knee) is a free agent after the Buccaneers declined his contract option for 2024, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
Gage signed a three-year, $30 million contract in March 2022 and ended up playing just 13 regular-season games in two years with Tampa Bay. He missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in August -- an injury that's considered one of the toughest to come back from. Gage turned 28 in January and should still generate some interest as a potential third/fourth WR if he's able to continue his NFL career and complete his rehab from the severe knee injury.
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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2023
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2022 NFL Game Log
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Russell Gage lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Russell Gage Split Stats
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Russell Gage See More
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Target Breakdown: 2023 WR Season Review & 2024 PPR Rankings
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Possible cap casualty
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
January 27, 2024
Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes that Gage, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve during training camp due to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee, could be released by the Buccaneers during the 2024 offseason.
ANALYSIS
Gage sustained the injury Aug. 16 in a joint practice with the Jets during training camp, and he was placed on the Bucs' IR four days later. He will be entering the final season of his three-year, $30 million contract he signed March of 2022. Laine notes that the Bucs would save $6.45 million if they cut Gage before June 1, and $10 million if they wait until after that date. In his last full season in 2022, Gage caught 51 passes on 70 targets for 426 yards and five touchdowns across 13 games.
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
He missed three games for the Falcons early last season and then initially failed to take advantage of Calvin Ridley's absence, but Gage turned things around in November and has been on a winning streak ever since. He averaged 6.3 catches for 76.4 yards in the final eight weeks last season, which allowed him to essentially match his 2021 receiving line with two fewer games and 15 fewer targets. The 26-year-old then cashed in with a three-year, $30 million contract from Tampa Bay, where he could be Option B for Tom Brady while Chris Godwin rehabs an ACL tear. The Bucs hope to have Godwin available for Week 1 (and also signed Julio Jones in July), but there's still some chance of Gage seeing an even larger workload than he got in Atlanta, at least temporarily. The Bucs made a sizable investment, with the $15 million guaranteed in Gage's contract including half his 2023 base salary, whereas Kansas City's Marquez Valdes Scantling signed a "three-year, $30 million contract" with only injury protections beyond Year 1 and $9 million guaranteed at signing.
Since the Falcons dealt Mohamed Sanu in the middle of the 2019 season, Gage has operated as the team's primary slot man. Last year, Gage established new personal bests in targets (109), receptions (72), yards (786) and TDs (four) in 16 games. His most consistent run of production came over the final four contests, which coincided with Julio Jones sitting out with a hamstring injury. Though Jones has expressed a desire to be traded, Atlanta thus far has shown no motivation to honor that request, so, for now, Gage remains third on the depth chart behind Jones and Calvin Ridley. Perhaps more than Jones' status, 2021 fourth overall pick Kyle Pitts - touted as one of the best tight end prospects in history - will influence Gage's outlook, with both working in the short and intermediate range.
Gage emerged as a playmaker in the second half of the 2019 season, when he was promoted to the No. 3 slot in the receiving corps following Mohamed Sanu's trade to New England on Oct. 22. The third-year man out of LSU could pay dividends as a late-round pickup for invested fantasy GMs, with all signs indicating that he will remain the third wide receiver for a Falcons offense that last season finished behind only Tampa Bay and Dallas in passing yards per game (294.6). He came into his own by averaging five receptions per game between Weeks 8 and 17, and he may become even more involved this season considering the possibility of a tight end downgrade going from Pro Bowler Austin Hooper to unproven Hayden Hurst. What's more, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter gave a recent nod to his young receiver during virtual OTAs, noting Gage's talent and that he'll "see a jump in his game."
The ultra-athletic Gage got an audition at receiver in 2018 after Atlanta's playoffs hopes disintegrated with a 4-9 start. His workload remained relatively minimal, but Gage proved to be somewhat efficient, hauling in six of 10 targets. What was surprising was his inability to produce explosive gains with those touches, as he accumulated 10.5 yards per catch, a stark drop-off from his 13.6 YPC average during his senior year at LSU. In a best-case scenario, Gage will fully overtake Justin Hardy for the No. 4 receiver job, while continuing to play a key role on special teams. Gage fielded 63.6 percent of the special teams snaps last year for the Falcons, recording seven tackles while serving as one of the primary gunners on punts.
The rookie out of LSU has been featured all over the field since the Falcons selected him in the sixth round of April's draft. He started off taking snaps at cornerback during rookie minicamp in May and then transitioned over to wide receiver during minicamp and training camp, while also seeing reps on special teams coverage. Gage is highly unlikely to break the top four on the depth chart at either receiver or cornerback, leaving him with the opportunity to pursue playing time as a member of the Falcons special teams coverage unit. Though he possesses a slight frame of 6-foot, 180 pounds, Gage boasts blazing speed as exemplified by his 40-yard dash time of 4.42 seconds at LSU's pro day. He has a long way to go in terms of polishing his skill set to become an offensive or defensive starter, but Gage's track team-caliber speed could lead to him locking down a gunner position on punt coverage.
More Fantasy News
May be released soon
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
Knee
February 21, 2024
The Buccaneers may release Gage (knee) before he's due a $1.5 million roster bonus March 1, Dan Pompei of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Officially lands on IR
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
Knee
August 20, 2023
The Buccaneers placed Gage (knee) on injured reserve Sunday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
ANALYSIS
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Suffers torn patellar tendon
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
Knee
August 17, 2023
Coach Todd Bowles confirmed Thursday that Gage is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Out for season
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
Knee
August 16, 2023
Gage sustained a season-ending right knee injury during Wednesday's joint practice with the Jets, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
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Expected to miss 2023 campaign
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers
Knee
August 16, 2023
Gage (knee) is expected to miss the entire 2023 season after being carted off the practice field Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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