Can Emeka Egbuka Contribute for Fantasy Football in the Buccaneers' Loaded Receiver Room?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have deployed one of the best wide receiver rooms in recent years, and they got plenty of production from the position during the 2024 campaign. Despite that being the case, the Buccaneers still elected to use the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on wideout Emeka Egbuka.

Egbuka spent four seasons at Ohio State, totaling 205 receptions, 2,868 receiving yards, and 24 receiving touchdowns. Most of his production occurred as a sophomore and senior, as he combined for 155 catches, 2,162 receiving yards, and 20 receiving touchdowns in those two seasons.

Upon joining the Buccaneers, Egbuka will be part of a receiver group that already features Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan. Will Egbuka be an immediate contributor in fantasy football to begin his NFL career?

Let's take a look at Tampa Bay's receiver room and discuss what we should expect from Egbuka in fantasy football for his rookie season with the Buccaneers.

Note: All ADPs (average draft position) come from FantasyPros' consensus ADP for half-PPR leagues.

Buccaneers' Wide Receiver Room

Entering the 2025 season, the Bucs' wide receiver room is still expected to be led by veteran Mike Evans, who is coming off a historic 11th straight 1,000-yard season to begin his career. Evans didn't show any signs of slowing down in 2024, earning the third-most receiving touchdowns (12) and fifth-most yards per route run (2.52) among wideouts with 50-plus targets, via PFF.

From a fantasy football perspective, Evans was the WR9 in both total fantasy points and fantasy points per game, and he currently carries an ADP of 40.3 (WR19) in half-PPR formats. At the same time, Evans has dealt with a hamstring injury in each of the last four years, and he's entering his age-32 season in the NFL.

Chris Godwin looked fantastic in the seven games he was active in last season, as he was the overall WR2 and WR5 in fantasy points per game during that span. Sadly, Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury, forcing him to miss the final 10 games in 2024.

To begin training camp, Godwin was placed on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list by the Bucs, and it was revealed that he underwent another ankle procedure in the offseason. While Tampa Bay signed Godwin to a three-year, $66 million deal in free agency, there isn't a definitive timetable for him to return, and his status for Week 1 is uncertain.

Amid injuries to Evans and Godwin throughout the 2024 campaign, Jalen McMillan stepped up in the latter part of the year, accumulating 24 receptions, 316 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns in the final five weeks of the regular season. During that five-game sample, McMillan was the overall WR7 and WR9 in fantasy points per game.

While we shouldn't expect McMillan to average 1.4 touchdowns per game like he did from Week 14 to Week 18 last season, he did show enough to earn a role in the offense moving forward. At the moment, Godwin is holding an ADP of 73.0 (WR31) and McMillan has an ADP of 165.0 (WR62).

Emeka Egbuka's 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook

Even with a crowded receiver room and Liam Coen departing as offensive coordinator this offseason, the injury to Godwin and Baker Mayfield still being under center opens the door for Egbuka to play a decent-sized role in Week 1. We shouldn't expect Mayfield to vocalize any negative comments when it comes to Egbuka, but the veteran quarterback hasn't stopped raving about the rookie wideout since he took the practice field this summer.

In his final year with the Buckeyes in 2024, Egbuka operated as the No. 2 option behind standout receiver Jeremiah Smith, and he still managed to record the 13th-most receptions (81), 12th-most receiving touchdowns (12), and 38th-most yards per route run (2.51) among college wideouts with 50-plus targets. While Egbuka is capable of playing on the outside, he did average a 73.2% slot rate throughout his four-year career at Ohio State and an 81.1% slot rate a season ago.

Given their receiver depth, the Bucs have no reason to rush Godwin back until he's a full-go on the field. For the time Godwin misses, Egbuka can be the primary slot receiver in Tampa Bay's offense, and then he can be deployed in various spots when the entire wide receiver room is active together.

The other key factor to talk about when it comes to the Buccaneers is the fact that All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs has also been placed on the PUP list during training camp, and he's expected to miss the start of the regular season. With Wirfs sidelined, Tampa Bay will likely focus on getting the ball out quicker rather than trying to rely on a backup left tackle to hold up in pass protection while Mayfield holds onto the ball to try and make plays.

Besides Egbuka being a slot aficionado, his 7.9-yard average depth of target last season proves he can still be effective through the air despite not being a consistent threat vertically. So even if the Bucs need to make adjustments to their offense until Wirfs returns, Egbuka is someone who can be a go-to target for Mayfield in the quick passing game.

With an ADP of 129.0 (WR49), Egbuka has been one of my favorite players to select in fantasy football, and he's one of my favorite rookie receivers to target in 2025.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.