RADIO
Jalen McMillan had Knee Procedure, No Surgery in Recovery
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) has been sidelined since Week 3 with a PCL sprain that landed him on injured reserve, and while head coach Todd Bowles recently told the media that a knee procedure was done, a posting by Pewter Report indicates that no surgery has been required as part of his rehab. A third-round pick in 2024, McMillan has been sporadically impactful, turning in a number of week-winning fantasy performances, but injuries have limited him to just 19 games through his first three seasons. While Bowles' update offers reassurance to dynasty managers, McMillan is unlikely to factor into 2026 redraft leagues, especially as the Buccaneers' passing offense continues to struggle heading into a Week 10 bye.
Source: Pewter Report
Source: Pewter Report
Emeka Egbuka Falls Short of Expectations in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka caught three of his five targets for 38 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. Fantasy managers were hoping Egbuka would take the next step into the No. 1 receiver role this season with Mike Evans gone, but so far, the Ohio State product has shown no indication that he can be a consistent alpha receiver in this Bucs offense. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, Chris Godwin Jr. has also been disappointing, leaving no clear answer for the team in their request to replace Evans. If there's any sort of light at the end of the tunnel, it's the fact that the Bucs face some very weak pass defenses on the other side of their Week 10 bye, including the Lions, Panthers, Chargers, and Ravens. Egbuka may be able to salvage his fantasy appeal for the time being because of his solid road ahead.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emeka Egbuka Active Against Bears After Two-Game Absence
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) is active for Sunday night's Week 9 game against the Chicago Bears, according to Greg Auman. Egbuka missed wins over Carolina and Atlanta. He sat out Wednesday's practice, participated fully on Thursday and Friday, and entered the weekend listed as questionable. Tampa Bay attempted just 14 passes across the two games he missed, including three without a completion in the shutout of Atlanta. Egbuka drew 16 targets in his last game against Pittsburgh, catching seven passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Source: Greg Auman
Source: Greg Auman
Emeka Egbuka Expected to Play in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Chicago Bears despite being listed as questionable, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Egbuka is set to return from a two-game absence after recovering from a concussion and a foot injury. The 24-year-old has posted mixed results when healthy last year, but he'll look to pick up where he left off, as he caught 13 of 25 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown between Weeks 5 and 6. He is averaging 8.2 targets per game this season, and he should continue to see similar (or even more) volume in a potential negative game script environment against the Bears. Egbuka is firmly established as Baker Mayfield's favorite target, making him a fringe top-25 fantasy receiver for Week 9.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Emeka Egbuka Looks to Make Immediate Impact if he Returns Vs. Bears
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) enters a Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears with a questionable tag due to a foot injury. Head coach Todd Bowles said on Friday that Egbuka will be a game-time decision against the Bears. After missing the previous two games due to a concussion and a foot injury, Egbuka logged back-to-back full practices on Thursday and Friday, after missing Wednesday's practice. While the back-to-back full practices appear to be a good sign, Egbuka's status remains unclear for a Sunday Night Football game against the Bears, which complicates things for fantasy managers with the late kickoff. RotoBaller ranks Egbuka as its No. 33 wide receiver for Week 9. In six games played in 2026, Egbuka leads the team in targets (49), receptions (28) and touchdown receptions (two), while ranking second on the team in receiving yards (240). The Bears currently allow 219 passing yards per game (14th in the NFL). If Egbuka is able to play, he should immediately return as Tampa Bay's top target in the passing game, which would come one week after the Bucs defeated the Atlanta Falcons without completing a single pass.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ted Hurst III is Not a Viable Streaming Option for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III was held without a catch for the second straight week. Hurst once again was blanked with zero catches on one target in the win over the Atlanta Falcons. It's not all his fault; it's tough to do anything when the Bucs only attempted three passes all game long. The rookie wideout has been held without a catch in three of the last four games. He does draw a favorable matchup against the Chicago Bears defense in Week 9. A defensive unit that ranks 19th in passing yards allowed this season. Despite that, Hurst hasn't done anything to warrant trusting him. He could fall further down the depth chart with Emeka Egbuka (foot) possibly returning this weekend. Hurst is worth a stash in deep leagues, but he shouldn't be started this weekend.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chris Godwin Jr. is a Risky Start for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. gave fantasy managers a dud during last week's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Godwin was held to zero catches on one target in the win over the Falcons. None of the Bucs receivers did basically anything in a game where they attempted only three throws all game. The veteran wideout has been held to under 40 receiving yards in six straight games. He draws a decent matchup against the Chicago Bears this weekend. A defense that currently ranks 19th in passing yards allowed this season. The Bucs are having so much success on the ground right now that it's unclear how much they will pass in this game. Godwin is ranked as Rotoballer's WR40 for this weekend and is a risky starting play in every fantasy format.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Emeka Egbuka a Game-Time Decision for Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) will be a game-time decision for Sunday night's Week 9 game in Chicago against the Bears, head coach Todd Bowles told Greg Auman of FOX Sports. It is a disappointing development for fantasy managers after Egbuka was cleared to practice in full during Thursday's session. He appears to be trending in the right direction after missing the last two games with a concussion and foot injury, but with Tampa's Week 9 game coming on Sunday night and Egbuka's status still up in the air, he will be an extremely risky starting fantasy football option. Additionally, the Buccaneers' offense has transitioned to more of a ground-based attack in recent weeks, so if that continues, Egbuka could easily be a bust for his fantasy managers if he plays against the Bears on Sunday evening. Before missing the last two games with multiple injuries, Egbuka was leading Tampa's receiving corps with 28 catches on 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns in six games played. He should officially be listed as questionable on the Buccaneers' final injury report on Friday.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Chris Godwin Jr. Likely Facing Reduced Workload in Tampa Bay
Across eight games in 2026, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. has recorded 27 catches for 243 yards on 35 targets. Like every other pass-catcher in the Tampa Bay offense, Godwin Jr. was shut out in Week 8, recording zero catches on just one target in a rain-altered game where Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield did not complete a single pass. Outlier weather games excluded, Godwin Jr. has still struggled to find consistent production so far this season. The 30-year-old has not reached 40 receiving yards in a game since Week 2, and he's averaging a career-low 6.9 yards per target this year. The Buccaneers also appear likely to get wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) back from the foot injury that's sidelined him for the last two games in Week 9, which could reduce Godwin's role in the offense even further. In all but the deepest fantasy leagues, Godwin Jr. is an extremely risky start.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emeka Egbuka Practices in Full on Thursday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) was upgraded to full participation in practice on Thursday, per River Wells of Sports Illustrated. Egbuka has missed Tampa Bay's last two games due to a concussion and a foot injury, but it appears he could be trending toward a return in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears. Across six games in 2026, Egbuka has recorded 28 catches for 240 yards and two touchdowns on 49 targets. Upon his return, the 24-year-old will be reunited with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was sidelined by a thumb injury in Egbuka's three most recent games. If Egbuka is able to play in Week 9, he would profile as the clear WR1 in Tampa Bay and would be startable in three-wide receiver fantasy leagues.
Source: Sports Illustrated - River Wells
Source: Sports Illustrated - River Wells
Emeka Egbuka Returns to Practice Thursday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session, according to Pewter Report. Egbuka has missed the past two games while dealing with foot and concussion injuries, although he cleared the league's concussion protocol late last week. He was limited during Wednesday and Thursday's practices last week before sitting out Friday and being ruled out against Atlanta. The second-year receiver worked with a trainer on the side Wednesday before returning to practice Thursday, an encouraging development ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Egbuka has caught 28 of 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns across six games this season. His availability remains uncertain, and Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff presents an additional challenge for fantasy managers. Those considering Egbuka for their lineups should have a late-game replacement available if his status remains questionable.
Source: Pewter Report
Source: Pewter Report
Jalen McMillan Not Expected Back Until After the Bye
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday that he was not expecting wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) back in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears, and the team is on bye next week, so the next window for him to return from Injured Reserve is when the Bucs return to practice in two weeks, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. McMillan's injury was reported as a six- to eight-week injury initially, so it is still within that window. The 24-year-old aggravated a PCL sprain in his left knee in Week 3 and was placed on IR, and he will not be back until sometime after Tampa's Week 10 bye. With Emeka Egbuka (foot) on the verge of a return from a two-game absence and the Buccaneers' passing attack on life support the last two weeks, even when McMillan returns, he is not going to be a very popular waiver-wire pickup in fantasy leagues as he battles for a depth role behind Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. In two games played so far in 2026 in his third year in the NFL, McMillan had zero catches on just one target.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Emeka Egbuka Misses Another Practice on Wednesday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) did not practice on Wednesday but ran on the side, according to Scott Smith of the team's official website. The Buccaneers will see how Egbuka feels on Thursday after his running session on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has missed two straight games, but he cleared the concussion protocol late last week, and he appears to be making progress with his foot injury this week. Still, Egbuka will likely need to upgrade to a full practice in the next two days to avoid a questionable tag or being ruled out entirely for a third straight game. In the two games that Egbuka has missed, the Bucs have leaned heavily on their rushing attack, with quarterback Baker Mayfield going 7-for-14 passing for 64 yards with one touchdown. He went 0-for-3 passing in the Week 8 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Egbuka has been Tampa's top wideout when healthy, catching 28 of his 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns, but with the team's passing game doing next to nothing of late, he will be a volatile starting fantasy WR if he returns to the field in Week 9 to take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.
Source: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
Source: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
Emeka Egbuka running on side with trainer on Wednesday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) was seen running on the side with a trainer during practice on Wednesday, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Fantasy managers will have to check back a bit later for Egbuka's official practice status, but it is a good sign that he is doing something at practice as he tries to put an end to his two-game absence. He previously was dealing with a concussion as well, but he has since cleared the league's protocol and has a much better chance of playing this Sunday night in Chicago against the Bears. The 24-year-old former first-rounder from Ohio State has been Tampa's No. 1 receiver this year with Mike Evans in San Francisco, catching 28 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns in his six games played. However, the Buccaneers' offense has leaned heavily on the ground game in the last two weeks with Egbuka out, and it is fair for fantasy managers to wonder if that will continue if/when Egbuka returns. Right now, Egbuka should be considered a pretty shaky WR4/flex for Week 9 as he attempts to move past his lingering foot injury.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Emeka Egbuka Could Return in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) could return for the team's Week 9 matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Chicago Bears, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Egbuka has missed the team's last two games with a concussion and a foot injury. The 24-year-old former first-rounder from Ohio State cleared the concussion protocol last week, but he remained out in Sunday's shutout win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. Now that he is only dealing with a foot injury, Egbuka could be cleared to face Chicago on the road this weekend if he makes enough progress in practice this week. He has been Tampa's top receiver when healthy, catching 28 of his 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns in six games played. However, Egbuka's fantasy value is trending down with the Bucs moving to a run-based offense. Quarterback Baker Mayfield did not complete a single pass in the win over Atlanta and has gone 7-for-14 for 64 yards and a touchdown in two games since returning from his dislocated right thumb.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
