Fantasy Football Week 1 Impact: Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan Injury Updates
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR room has been dealing with some injury woes in the offseason. Both their WR1 Emeka Egbuka and WR3 Jalen McMillan have missed time. With their Week 1 matchup now in view, fantasy managers can get rid of any worries regarding Egbuka, with more positive news about his status coming out. But McMillan's status for Week 1, on the other hand, continues to get more worrisome.
Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan Injury Updates
Egbuka has been dealing with a toe injury, while McMillan has been dealing with a knee injury. They both sustained these ailments in early August. The two did participate in practice this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Eguka was a full participant, while McMillan was a limited participant both days. That appears to have changed on Friday.
Fox Sports beat writer for Tampa Bay, Greg Auman, reported the following on X regarding the Bucs' Friday practice: “Bucs look healthy as they open the season. Sean Tucker is practicing again today; both Egbuka and McMillan don’t show any signs of limitations.”
Head Coach of the Buccaneers, Todd Bowles, on Friday, said that Egbuka is a full go for Sunday, while McMillan is doubtful.
That is certainly discouraging for McMillan, as he may not be available for the start of the season for a second year in a row. In 2025, he did not appear till Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons. Hopefully, he can become available so he and Baker Mayfield can tap back into the connection they started to build in his rookie season in 2024.
McMillan, in his final five games of the Bucs' 2024 season, caught seven TDs and averaged 4.8 receptions per game and 63.2 receiving yards per game. In PPR formats from Weeks 14-18, he was WR5 in fantasy football.
Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka Week 1 Fantasy Outlook
In Week 1, the Buccaneers will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals. Last year, the Bengals allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game in the NFL, 235.1. Despite that, they were one of the worst matchups for opposing WRs to go against in fantasy. They ended up allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to WRs. That was mainly because they only gave up nine TDs to WRs.
Fantasy managers should still feel more than comfortable starting Egbuka in Week 1. He will have an increased role with Mike Evans now being on the San Francisco 49ers. With the amount of volume he is set up to get, he should have a good fantasy performance even if he does not find the end zone. That also has an increased chance of happening given how many points the Bengals gave up on average last season. They allowed the third most points per game in the league, 28.9.
In regard to McMillan fantasy managers, should keep him on their bench in Week 1 if he is available. A lot of his value at the end of the 2024 season was tied to his ability to find the end zone; again, something Cincinnati did a good job of limiting from WRs in 2025. He is also well removed from putting up those stats, making him more of a wait-and-see player in fantasy.
McMillan, with the high ceiling he has in fantasy, is a player that fantasy managers should pick up off the waiver wire right now. In ESPN leagues, he is only 32.6% rostered.
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Gray Deyo is a Nashville-based sportswriter who graduated with a sports management bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has covered prep sports, college sports, the WNBA, and the NBA for the past four years. In addition to writing for SI, Gray also currently contributes to Prep Girls Hoops