Ted

Hurst

Hurst was the only Bucs pass-catcher to gain more than 20 yards on a single play. The passing game was otherwise relegated to intermediate throws and check-downs in Jalon Daniels’ first start. With Jalen McMillan on IR, Hurst has locked up a starting role. That simply is worth much for fantasy managers with a backup quarterback under center. Hurst will be a desperation FLEX play when he takes on the Cowboys next week.

Hurst caught a perfectly-placed 40-yard score down the seam in the first half and did not see another look from Baker Mayfield. It wasn’t a lack of playing time that limited Hurst: He ran a route on 39 of the team’s 43 drop backs on the day. His downfield profile will make Hurst a volatile weekly play in 12-team leagues. He should probably stay on benches next week against the Dolphins if Mayfield (hand) is sidelined, however.

Hurst was overthrown by Baker Mayfield a few times in the second half. It could have been a big day for the speedy rookie if his quarterback weren’t struggling so mightily with deep throws. Hurst had a solid role though, running a route on 29 of the team’s 37 drop backs. He will be a high-variance flex play for Week 3 against the Vikings if Mayfield can find a little accuracy.

The Bucs are going to ease McMillan back into the lineup after he missed Week 1 with the knee injury. McMillan will take rookie Ted Hurst’s spot in the lineup once healthy, but that might not happen until Week 3. Until we see what their split looks like, neither Hurst nor McMillan should be in fantasy lineups.

McMillan missed Week 1 due to a knee issue, despite getting in three limited practices during the week. He was listed as doubtful and the team ruled him out ahead of kickoff. It seems like the team was taking a cautious approach with his return from the training camp injury, and he should be good for Week 2. McMillan is expected to take rookie Ted Hurst’s spot in the lineup at X. Hurst managed just three catches for 36 yards in the role. In his first game of the season, McMillan will be buried in the WR5 ranks for fantasy purposes.

Hurst’s first NFL reception was a sure-handed grab against tight coverage as he went to the ground. Pro Football Focus charted Hurst as playing 43-of-57 snaps. That’s an extremely strong mark for a rookie third-rounder, though it will only last as long as Jalen McMillan is on the shelf with his knee injury. The Bucs declined to formally rule McMillan out until this morning, so there is a chance he is back for Week 2 against the Browns. For now, Hurst remains waiver wire fodder in 12-team leagues.

As is Sean Tucker (hamstring). McMillan’s immediate absence will force the Bucs to dig in to their young receiving depth earlier than they would have liked, but rookie Ted Hurst is not a bad fall-back option for the club. For fantasy managers, however, Hurst is not yet an option even in 14-team leagues. Also inactive for the Bucs are OT Justin Skule, CB Ayden Garnes, DL DeMonte Capehart, DL Elijah Simmons and OG Billy Schrauth.

It’s McMillan, not rookie WR Ted Hurst III, who’s listed as a starter alongside Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka ahead of Tampa’s Week 1 game against the Bengals. Hurst, the tallest of the Bucs wideouts, has by all accounts impressed Bucs players and coaches throughout the offseason and should have some kind of role in the team’s passing attack to start the year. It could be a while before Hurst takes on a more prominent role, however. Bucs general manager Jason Licht said last week that Hurst, 22, has “proven to us throughout camp, even OTAs, practice every day that he’s been very, very steady...it’s kind of evolved into okay, we can use him this year and he’s going to play a role.” Hurst can be stashed in deeper fantasy formats for now. McMillan is unlikely to be a factor in the Tampa offense after once again struggling with injuries this offseason.

Licht said Hurst was initially slated for a learning role behind the deep Buccaneers wide receiver corps. However, he added that the rookie 22-year-old has “proven to us throughout camp, even OTAs, practice every day that he’s been very, very steady...it’s kind of evolved into okay, we can use him this year and he’s going to play a role.” Hurst has received generally positive reports out of training camp. With Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan continuing to deal with injuries throughout preseason, Hurst has gotten more opportunities and proven to the front office he can be used as a rookie. When Egbuka, McMillan, and Chris Godwin are all healthy, Hurst will have a tough time putting up fantasy-relevant production. However, given various active injuries and the injury history of the Bucs’ wide receiver room, he is certainly worth a late-round pick for fantasy purposes.

The Buccaneers rested their established starters, which takes a little shine off of Hurst’s start. Regardless, he led the team in targets through three drives and nearly hauled in a deep target after helpfully getting open during a scramble drill. The third-round rookie appeared to slip while diving for the catch, and he was unable to fully secure the pass before he and the ball hit the ground. Still, it was a decent start for him. He remains a worthwhile late-round dart throw.