Jalen McMillan returns to practice Tuesday

Please don’t let Slivon’s corny phrasing distract you from the fact that Hurst is playing well in the X-receiver role that the team drafted him to fill. While WR Jalen McMillan (knee) sits out, Hurst is reportedly displaying “amazing body control” while making leaping grabs, effectively “using his 6-foot-4 height to his advantage.” The third-round rookie is a no-brainer dice roll as a late-round draft target. He is not guaranteed to be a hit, but reports continue to be positive, and in-season rookie breakouts are always a big fantasy factor down the stretch.

McMillan was one of several Bucs wideouts held out of practice yesterday, but it sounds like the others were largely maintenance days. McMillan, on the other hand, is dealing with a rather mysterious injury, given that we have no timeline for his return. It could ultimately be a minor issue, but his absence in practice will free up reps for rookie Ted Hurst. The two are likely competing for the final starting spot in three-receiver sets. McMillan’s knee issue now has Hurst firmly on the sleeper radar for the remainder of camp.

Fox Sports’ Greg Auman reported the three lead Buccaneers receivers got the day off Tuesday. For Godwin, it is a veteran maintenance day as he aims to open the season fully healthy; expect him to see more maintenance days heading into preseason. Egbuka and McMillan are dealing with lower-body soreness and were held out of practice out of precaution. Ultimately, no major injury concerns as the Bucs play it safe with their top three wideouts in training camp.

McMillan is coming off a frightening 2025 preseason neck injury that cost him most of the regular season. With Mike Evans’ departure to San Francisco, McMillan could fill in as a regular boundary wideout in the Tampa offense this season, alongside Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka. Over four games last season McMillan had 12 catches for 178 scoreless yards. He was targeted on 20 percent of his pass routes and averaged 11.7 air yards per target. McMillan, 24, could be Baker Mayfield’s primary downfield option in 2026 if Egbuka occupies the team’s WR1 role with Evans gone.

McMillan and the Bucs’ passing game was mostly an afterthought, outside of Cade Otton — a fellow former Washington standout — going for 94 yards. McMillan’s year was decimated by injuries, but fantasy players shouldn’t forget how impressive he looked in his rookie season before his neck ailments. He’s a sleeper play for 2026, but also could get a chance to play in the postseason if the Falcons lose to the Saints in Week 18.

McMillan saw surprisingly high usage in Week 17, leading the Bucs with nine targets on the day. He tallied a career-high 114 receiving yards on a career-high seven receptions. Though he saw just 35 snaps, fourth among Bucs wide receivers, McMillan was available frequently at the sticks. He totaled three catches for 39 yards on the first drive of the game and was a sizeable part of the gameplan throughout the day. The Bucs offense is a mess of inefficiency and inconsistency, making McMillan a boom-or-bust option in Week 18 against the Panthers.

McMillan operated as the WR3 in the Bucs’ offense, behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He saw just three targets on a day where Baker Mayfield was not throwing beyond the sticks very often. The Bucs offense has many mouths to feed and although McMillan is already operating ahead of rookie Emeka Egbuka, he is hardly a fantasy option for Week 17 against the Dolphins.

McMillan came mere inches short of turning his first catch of 2025 into a touchdown, but instant replay deemed him to be down inside of the one yard line. The second-year wideout has missed the entirety of the campaign prior to Thursday due to a neck issue, and while there are a lot of bodies to feed in the Tampa Bay offense, it’s worth keeping in mind that McMillan was a significant part of the passing attack in 2025 as a rookie. Still, it’s hard to see him being a fantasy option for the remainder of 2025, and there’s more risk than reward for Week 16 against the Panthers.

Otton is, unfortunately, sidelined by a knee injury. The pass-catching corps gets WR Mike Evans (collarbone) and WR Jalen McMillan (neck) back tonight, though, boosting QB Baker Mayfield’s fantasy-scoring potential. Mayfield will also helpfully have LT Tristan Wirfs (oblique) protecting his blindside this evening.

Making his 2025 debut on the same night Mike Evans is returning from his broken collarbone, McMillan is going to be lightly targeted as the Bucs’ No. 4 wideout but can hopefully provide better routes/snaps than Tez Johnson had been of late. McMillan had an intriguing if highly inconclusive rookie year. An end-of-bench stash in dynasty leagues, McMillan is off the re-draft radar for the fantasy playoffs.