Fantasy Football News

Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles indicated Saturday that it's not yet certain that WR Emeka Egbuka's injured toe will be ready for Week 1 action.

Emeka Egbuka is traveling with the team to Jacksonville for the team’s final preseason game but isn’t expected to play as he continues to rest his toe injury, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Auman says he would be surprised to see Egbuka practice next week as well, as the focus and expectation are to have him back for opening weekend the following week.

Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka may be in danger of missing the start of the regular season due to a sprained toe he suffered last week. HC Todd Bowles was asked about Egbuka’s Week 1 availability, and he wasn't sure at this time, labeling Egbuka day to day or week to week.

Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka has been diagnosed with a sprained toe, The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud reports. The team is "very optimistic" that Egbuka will be back for the start of the season, Stroud adds.

After getting rolled up on and limping off the practice field earlier in the day, Emeka Egbuka has been tagged with a toe sprain per Rick Stroud of Tampa Bay Times. The timeline and severity of the toe sprain remain unknown until imaging results come back.

Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka took an end around at training camp and got rolled up on by a teammate. He limped off the field under his own power and was examined on the training table. The injury severity is currently unknown, but he remained walking on the sideline with both cleats off. He will not return to practice today.

The Buccaneers are dealing with multiple injuries at WR this week. That included Jalen McMillan, Chris Godwin, and Emeka Egbuka all sitting out Tuesday night's indoor practice. Tez Johnson left that workout early with a lower-body injury, according to the team website.

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield revealed on Netflix's Quarterback documentary that he sprained his MCL and PCL in Week 2 last year. Mayfield didn't miss any time with those injuries and didn't appear on the injury report with a knee until Week 5. He also dealt with a right biceps injury early last season and sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder near halftime of Week 12. He missed the second half of that game but returned the following week.

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin was rarely, if ever, healthy last season. He missed the first three games working back from the serious ankle injury that ended his 2024 campaign. Then he made it just two games before a fibula injury knocked him out for the next five. He was mostly quiet over the final seven games of the season, although he did pop for a 7-108-1 line in Week 17. Godwin avoided any further setbacks, though, and has been able to spend this offseason working on his game, rather than rehabbing. "Anytime you have the ability to train for performance and not for recovery, it’s a huge difference," he said recently.

Second-year WR Emeka Egbuka appears positioned for a massive role increase in Tampa Bay’s new offense. ESPN’s Ben Solak highlighted Egbuka as a potential breakout candidate after Mike Evans departed in free agency, and new OC Zac Robinson compared Egbuka’s game to Cooper Kupp’s.Tampa Bay already saw what a featured Egbuka looks like: 25 catches, 445 yards, and 5 TDs in five games.

The Buccaneers selected Georgia State WR Ted Hurst in Round 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Hurst spent two years at Division II Valdosta State before jumping to FBS-level Georgia State. He set a school record for TD receptions in his first season while averaging 17.2 yards per catch. He followed that with a first-team all-conference season in 2025. The numbers pop: 71 catches, 999 yards, and 6 scores. Primarily an outside player, Hurst posted a nice 14.1 yards per catch and 2.42 yards per route run. At 6’4 and 206 pounds, Hurst looks like an NFL boundary receiver. He pairs size and catch radius with vertical speed. His 34 receptions of 20+ yards across 2024-2025 led all FBS receivers. He’ll need to improve his hands, though, with drop rates of 9.0% and 9.7% over the past two seasons.

WR Mike Evans’ contract expired, and doubt remains about his returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports quoted sources who said it is less than 50-50 that Evans will return to the Buccaneers. ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported today that Evans won’t start thinking about a decision until after the Super Bowl. Despite turning 33 before the start of next season, Evans should have a strong market if he does decide to test free agency.

The Buccaneers are hiring Zac Robinson as their new OC, "with a big push" from QB Baker Mayfield, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Mayfield worked with Robinson during his six-week stint with the Rams in 2022. Robinson spent five seasons working under Sean McVay in Los Angeles before serving as Falcons OC for the last two. Atlanta ranked sixth in yards and 13th in points in Robinson's debut, before falling to 14th in yards and 24th in points this past year. Both of Robinson's Falcons offenses ranked higher in rush attempts than pass attempts. Expect him to bring a balanced attack to Tampa Bay. Considering Mayfield's hand in the hiring, though, consider the move good news for the QB's chances of a bounce-back 2026.

The Buccaneers have fired OC Josh Grizzard, according to multiple reports. Grizzard spent just one season piloting the Tampa Bay offense after joining the team as pass-game coordinator in 2024. He spent seven years on the Dolphins offensive staff before that, working under head coaches Adam Gase, Brian Flores, and Mike McDaniel. Next season will mark the fifth time in five years under HC Todd Bowles that the Bucs have sported a different OC.

Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka didn't kill you if you used him in fantasy lineups vs. the Falcons on Thursday night, finishing with four catches for 64 yards. Both those marks -- and Egbuka's seven targets -- ranked second on the team behind only WR Mike Evans. But a deeper dive into Tampa Bay's WR usage in this one reveals a major concern for Egbuka going forward.