RADIO
Emeka Egbuka's Fantasy Struggles Have Continued in 2026
With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggling offensively to start the year, and the ball spread fairly evenly among receivers, tight ends, and running backs, second-year wideout Emeka Egbuka has accumulated only 79 receiving yards through two weeks. Following a historically strong start to his rookie campaign, the 2025 first-round pick has now failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in 10 straight games, clearing that mark only once in his last 14 outings. He has maintained a respectable 7.1 targets per game over that stretch, but with quarterback Baker Mayfield topping 250 yards and two touchdowns only once since the start of the 2025 season, something he did seven times in 2024 alone, the quality of opportunity has seen a dramatic dip. The Buccaneers face the Vikings in Week 3, and while Brian Flores' aggressive blitzing defense has gotten results through two weeks, the unit is still susceptible to an underneath passing attack, presenting Egbuka with the opportunity to volume his way back to fantasy viability in full-PPR formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen McMillan Making his Debut in Week 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) is officially active for the Week 2 contest on Sunday at home against the Cleveland Browns, per Buccaneers Communications. McMillan missed most of training camp and all of the preseason this summer with a knee injury that also kept him from suiting up in the Week 1 season-opening loss last Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals. The 24-year-old made solid progress during the week in practice, though, and has been cleared to make his 2026 season debut against the Browns. It is good news for Tampa's passing attack, but with McMillan expected to be on a pitch count in his return, fantasy managers in deeper leagues should not be viewing him as a deep-league sleeper for the Bucs. Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. will continue to operate as the team's top pass-catchers, with impressive rookie wideout Ted Hurst III likely a better sleeper option as a deep-league flex on Sunday.
Source: Buccaneers Communications
Source: Buccaneers Communications
Jalen McMillan Expected to Play Sunday in Limited Role
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 2 contest against the Cleveland Browns despite being listed as questionable, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. However, he'll be functioning at less than 100 percent, as Schefter reports that McMillan isn't ready to occupy a full-time role yet. The 24-year-old is working his way back from a knee injury that has bothered him since training camp. He also missed 13 games last year due to a neck issue, so he's still trying to carve out his first substantial playing time since his rookie season in 2024. He showed high upside with eight touchdowns during his rookie campaign, but he might not replicate that scoring total in 2026 given his role behind Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. For now, he's more of a redraft stash and less of a weekly lineup option.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Ted Hurst III Could Offer Deep-League Value
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III made his pro debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. With Jalen McMillan (groin) inactive, Hurst played 75 percent of the offensive snaps. The rookie wideout hauled in all three of his targets for 36 yards in the loss. It probably wasn't the debut performance he was dreaming about, but the Bucs were sloppy all game on offense. Hurst could once again have a significant role during the upcoming Week 2 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. McMillan is considered a game-time decision for the Bucs home opener. If he sits, Hurst could offer deep league flex appeal against a Browns defense that was carved up last weekend.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chris Godwin Jr. Offers Solid WR3 Value for Week 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. is looking to build off a decent performance in the season opener. Godwin hauled in all four of his targets for 40 yards in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a messy day for the Bucs offense that fumbled the ball three times. The expectation is that they'll clean it up in a favorable matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. Godwin should succeed against a Browns defense that got tormented by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1. The return of Jalen McMillan might eat into Godwin's overall value going forward. Despite that, Godwin should still be able to provide fantasy managers with WR3 value against a shaky Browns defense.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Emeka Egbuka Lands on WR2 Radar
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka got off to a hot start during the season opener last weekend. He hauled in five of his six targets for 63 yards during the first half of Sunday's game. A strong start for Egbuka, but then he wasn't targeted at all during the second half of their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Fantasy managers should expect a more consistent outing from Egbuka in Week 2. He'll draw a favorable matchup against the Cleveland Browns defense that was torched by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1. The Browns gave up four passing touchdowns, which bodes well for Egbuka as the top passing option. Fantasy managers can plug in Egbuka as a WR2 for Week 2.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jalen McMillan to Be a Game-Time Decision
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) missed the team's season-opening loss to the Bengals with a knee injury sustained midway through training camp, and head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday that he will be listed as questionable ahead of Tampa's Week 2 matchup with the Browns, considering him a game-time decision. McMillan logged full practice participation on Wednesday and Thursday, and Bowles gave no indication of any setback Friday, so he appears to be trending toward his season debut. The third-year player missed four games as a rookie with lingering hamstring issues and was limited to only four games in 2025 after suffering a serious preseason neck injury, but he has been an impactful fantasy presence whenever healthy and active.
Source: River Wells
Source: River Wells
Chris Godwin Jr. is Proving to be Trustworthy
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. is coming off a decent performance during the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Godwin hauled in all four of his targets for 40 yards during the Week 1 loss. The 30-year-old appears to be healthy again after two injury-riddled seasons in a row. He has built good chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield throughout the years together. The loss of Mike Evans this offseason should mean that Godwin takes on more responsibility on offense. Fantasy managers should be able to plug Godwin in as a WR3 most weeks.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jalen McMillan a Full Practice Participant
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) missed the team's season opener with a knee injury sustained in training camp, but he was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, according to head coach Todd Bowles. McMillan has struggled to stay on the field through his first three seasons, but his impact has been felt when healthy and available, finishing as a top-20 fantasy wide receiver in six of his last nine starts and cracking the top 12 three times in that stretch. Quarterback Baker Mayfield spread the ball around in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals, with five different players making at least three catches, so McMillan's ceiling could be capped upon his return. Still, he is a player to monitor if he can keep stringing together full practices ahead of a potential Week 2 debut against the Browns.
Source: Scott Smith
Source: Scott Smith
Jalen McMillan Making Progress Ahead of Week 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) was on the field for Wednesday's practice, according to Greg Auman. That's encouraging after McMillan couldn't get cleared for the opener, but it's worth remembering that he practiced on a limited basis all three days last week before ultimately sitting out against Cincinnati. Wednesday alone doesn't guarantee much. McMillan appeared in only four games last season, finishing with 12 catches for 178 yards, and Tampa Bay still lists him with the first-team receivers alongside Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. His return would make an already crowded passing game even tougher to sort through for fantasy purposes. The next step is seeing whether McMillan can increase his workload as the week goes on. For now, he's moving in the right direction, but fantasy managers shouldn't assume he'll be ready for Cleveland just yet.
Source: Greg Auman
Source: Greg Auman
Ted Hurst III Already Playing Too Much to Ignore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III didn't see much of the ball in his NFL debut, but he was on the field plenty. Hurst caught all three of his targets for 36 yards in Sunday's 33-27 loss to Cincinnati, with all three receptions coming on consecutive plays in the fourth quarter. He also started and played 43 of Tampa Bay's 57 offensive snaps, a 75.4% share. That is enough to keep the third-round rookie on the waiver radar even with the limited volume. Jalen McMillan was inactive with a knee injury, and the Buccaneers still list him ahead of Hurst on the depth chart, so the Week 1 playing time is not guaranteed to stick once McMillan returns. Hurst did make something of his opportunity, though, and Tampa Bay leaned heavily on three-receiver personnel in the opener. He is not a priority claim in 10- or 12-team leagues, but the snap share makes him a worthwhile stash in deeper formats ahead of Week 2 against Cleveland.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield Still a High-Upside Target Despite Week 1 Dip
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield had four turnovers in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading to an apparent decline in his fantasy stock. However, fantasy managers shouldn't overreact to one bad week, especially when Mayfield has had games like this before. The 31-year-old plays with a level of recklessness, and although it led to three fumbles on Sunday, he's just as capable of harnessing that playing style and dropping three or four touchdowns. He's a high-ceiling, low-floor fantasy quarterback, and he's worth rostering in most leagues simply due to his talent, track record, and strong supporting cast. Dropping a dud game against a subpar Bengals defense is far from ideal, but he should bounce back against an even worse Browns squad in Week 2. He continues to rank as a mid-range QB2 with QB1 upside depending on the matchup. There's rest-of-season appeal here, but he's also a very intriguing short-term streamer.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen McMillan Officially Out to Begin 2026 Season
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee), who was listed as doubtful on Friday, is officially out for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals, per Scott Smith of the team's official website. McMillan was limited in all three of the team's practices this week, but he could not gain clearance from a knee injury that has been bothering him since early August. With McMillan sitting out this weekend, rookie Ted Hurst III and Tez Johnson will be battling for WR3 duties behind Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. in Tampa's new-look offense without future Hall of Famer Mike Evans. The 24-year-old McMillan had 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games as a rookie in 2024, but he played in only four games last year due to a serious neck injury that he suffered in the preseason. His absence to begin 2026 is bad news, as Hurst drew rave reviews as an up-and-coming pass-catcher for the Bucs. If Hurst continues to shine in the season opener, McMillan might not have a very big role on offense whenever he can return from his knee injury.
Source: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
Source: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
Emeka Egbuka Ready to Roll in Week 1 Versus Bengals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) is expected to enter a Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals as a full-go. Egbuka logged three consecutive full practices throughout the week and does not have an injury designation for the opening week of the 2026 season. The Bengals had one of the worst passing defenses in the league in 2025, allowing 233.8 passing yards per game (26th in the NFL). There isn't much optimism that the Bengals will be much better in 2026. As a rookie in 2025, Egbuka recorded 63 receptions for 938 yards and six touchdowns. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 22 wide receiver for Week 1 (half-PPR), making him a strong start in all standard leagues. Egbuka is a promising start across all formats in Week 1, and an intriguing DFS option as well.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ted Hurst III Could See Expanded Role in Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III is set to make his professional debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. The third-round pick might actually see a bigger role than expected in the season opener. Fellow wideout Jalen McMillan (groin) is currently considered questionable for Sunday's game. His absence could mean that Tez Johnson or Hurst moves into the starting unit. Between the two, Hurst might be the bigger threat after his impressive showing in camp. Recently, Bucs' offensive coordinator Zac Robinson praised Hurst for his work. The 22-year-old could make for a deep league dart throw if McMillan is unable to play.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
