Bucs WR Jalen McMillan is headed to the injured reserve after suffering a "severe" neck injury in NFL Preseason Week 2, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
With one of Baker Mayfield’s top receivers on IR, McMillan’s neck issues will keep him out for the foreseeable future. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wideout recorded 1 reception for 18 yards in the team’s 17-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers before the injury.
The Bucs are also without Chris Godwin (PUP) to start the season, as he is still recovering from his 2024 broken ankle. McMillan's will shift the fantasy football landscape for the NFL's No. 3 passing offense (4,505 yards) in 2025.
Most notably, McMillan's injury open up the door for rookie WR Emeka Egbuka to start in Week 1, priming him to be one of the best rookie WRs in the NFL this season.
McMillan broke through as one of Mayfield’s top targets last season after he returned from injury — coincidentally, his breakout came after WR Chris Godwin broke his ankle.
His rookie campaign saw him compete in 13 games, totaling 461 yards and 8 TDs on 37 receptions, with 7 of his 8 touchdowns coming after Godwin's injury.
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How Long is Jalen McMillan Out?
Stroud reports McMillan on the IR until at least the team’s bye in Week 9 — missing nearly half of the season. Head coach Todd Bowles reported that McMillan was dealing with a “severely strained neck”. The injury occurred after an awkward fall in their preseason game last Saturday.
The No. 92 overall pick in 2024 broke out in the team’s final five regular season games after Godwin broke his ankle, opening additional opportunities for McMillan down the stretch.
7 of his 8 touchdowns came in that span after his first came in Week 1. The Washington graduate sat out from October 27 to November 24 as Mayfield was left without numerous key receivers.
Jalen McMillan Injury: Fantasy Football Impact
Mayfield will have to look elsewhere as McMillan is slated to sit until at least Sunday, November 9. Bowles remains uncertain if McMillan will even be back for that home matchup against the New England Patriots in Week 9.
McMillan’s breakthrough 2024 performance had him lined up to be a difference maker on a team with talented receivers such as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. This year, that opportunity may be handed down to Egbuka.
Next in line behind WR1 Mike Evans are rookie Emeka Egbuka — who will mostly man the slot, Tez Johnson, and Trey Palmer.
At this point, McMillan isn't worth drafting in fantasy football. But the injury does have an impact on where you're drafting his Bucs teammates — primarily Egbuka, Evans, and Mayfield.
Note: All fantasy football projections come from the PrizePicks NFLSZN board — a season-long real money fantasy football game.
Emeka Egbuka
22-year-old Emeka Egbuka can take over the WR2 spot that McMillan thrived in late last season. This time though, Egbuka is set to see a high amount of targets in the first few weeks of the season.
Even if McMillan is back by Week 9, Egbuka could have already solidified his position on the team as a top receiver, especially as he thrives from the slot.
Egbuka is in a good spot to not only start in Week 1, but also be a legit contributor because of his four-year career at Ohio State vs. top Big 10 competition, where he started for three seasons. He'll also play the slot role a good bit, which Godwin thrived in with Mayfield.
Mayfield has already compared Egbuka to Lions WR1 Amon-Ra St. Brown — the league's most productive primary slot receiver — for his ability to get up field after the catch.
"Receivers don't always stay on the ground, run through the catch to get yards after the catch," Mayfield said. "He reminds me of Amon-Ra St. Brown in a way, which is obviously high praise."
So far in a Bucs jersey, the rookie receiver saw 2 targets in each of the team’s preseason games. He totaled a combined 26 yards in those two games.
2025 Emeka Egubka Projections: 57.5 receptions, 700.5 receiving yards, 3.5 TDs
Mike Evans
The always-reliable Mike Evans is back again for his age 32 season in 2025. Speculation has run wild about his future, but he remains a center piece of the Buccaneers squad as the team looks to make their sixth straight postseason appearance.
Evans continued his streak of 1,000+ yard receiving seasons in 2024. He’s yet to see a season with below that number since he joined the league in 2014.
Mayfield’s favorite target was able to secure 1,004 yards in 14 games, though it took until the very last play of the season to get it.
With Godwin and now McMillan sidelined, Evans is positioned to continue to be a target monster in Tampa Bay this year.
2025 Mike Evans Projections: 68.5 receptions, 949.5 receiving yards, 7.5 TDs
Baker Mayfield
Tampa Bay is the home to Mayfield’s career resurgence. The former Cleveland Browns starter had stints on the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams before finding a home with the Buccaneers.
2024 marked the best season of his career as the 30-year-old secured himself a $100 million contract after leading the NFL's third-best passing offense.
Mayfield navigated his way through a tricky 2024 season. The injuries to McMillan, Godwin, Evans, among others, left him with little to no options. Mayfield kept the team’s hopes alive to continue their postseason streak before falling in the Wild Card Round.
He finished with a career-high 4,500 pass yards and 41 TDs in a stellar season.
Now, with his previous OC Liam Coen in Jacksonville and the Buccaneers receiving core as thin as it’s ever been since he arrived, there are serious questions about Mayfield's upside in the 2025 season. Because of that, his 2025 fantasy football projections have taken a hit compared to his 2025 numbers.
2025 Baker Mayfield Projections: 3,799.5 Pass Yards, 29.5 Pass TDs, 1.5 Rush TDs, 12.5 INTs
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Jalen McMillan's injury shakes up how fantasy football players should be approaching Bucs WRs and Baker Mayfield going forward. Most importantly, it makes Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka one of the most high-upside rookie receivers this season.
No matter how you think things shake out, you can make your 2025 fantasy football picks to win real money on PrizePicks' NFLSZN game. Just pick your players, like Egbuka, predict More or Less on their season-long stats, and lock in your Lineup.
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