Fantasy Football Player Notes

Evans topped the 1,000-yard mark for an 11th consecutive season, keeping the streak alive by crossing the 1,000-yard threshold late in the Buccaneers' final regular-season game. Evans averaged only 51.7 yards over his first six games and had seven or fewer targets in five of those contests. Then, he injured his hamstring in Week 7 and missed three games. But Evans caught fire upon his return. With fellow WR out for the year with a dislocated ankle, Evans averaged 6.9 receptions and 95.6 yards over his final seven games. Evans has been one of the safest bets in fantasy football for years. He's entering his age-32 season, but he's aging gracefully.

At the beginning of the offseason, Emeka Egbuka looked like this year's Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Rome Odunze. The talented first-round selection in the NFL draft found himself in a squeeze for target volume immediately with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but as we have progressed through the offseason and camp, the pathway has become clearer for Egbuka to step up in a big way in year one. Godwin's health issues are much more complicated than originally anticipated, and he might not be at 100% til the mid-point of the 2025 season. Jalen McMillan sustained a neck injury in the preseason that has also called his availability for a large chunk of this season into question (he could be out until their bye in Week 9). Egbuka looks like he could be the clear WR2 for the Bucs for most of the season, if not all of it. Egbuka has the talent to step up immediately and be a wonderful contributor for Fantasy GMs. In two of Egbuka's final three collegiate seasons, he ranked inside the top 40 FBS wide receivers in yards per route run (38th, 11th) and top 20 in receiving grade (19th, 12th) and yards after the catch (16th, 12th). He's best viewed as a strong WR3 who could easily be producing as a WR2 this season.

Chris Godwin was WR1 in PPR scoring through the first six weeks of the 2024 season. But Godwin hasn't fully recovered from the dislocated ankle and fractured fibula he sustained in the middle of last season, and the Buccaneers have since added first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka, who, like Godwin, does his best work in the slot. With the likelihood of increased target competition and the possibility that Godwin won't be at 100% capacity this season post-injury, it might be worth pumping the brakes in 2025 fantasy drafts even though Godwin is a trusted brand name.

Jalen McMillan started slowly in his rookie season but came on down the stretch. In Weeks 14-18, he was the WR11 in fantasy points per game, spiking seven touchdowns. During those five games, he had an 18.4% target share, 63.2 receiving yards per game, 2.09 yards per route run, a 22.9% first-read share, and 0.099 first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). Outside of the insane touchdown production, McMillan's efficiency stats were all nice. Unfortunately for him, the Bucs felt the need to further upgrade their wide receiver room despite his stretch performance with their selection of Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin's return. McMillan has been pushed into the WR4 role, and his neck injury in the preseason could hold him out until after their bye week this season (Week 9). He's a last-round pick in your drafts only if you have an IR spot to stash him with, but he's best left on the waiver wire this year in most leagues.