Pat Fantasy Dog Pound labeled Sean Tucker one of his favorite final-round darts in 20-round best-ball drafts. He likes Tucker’s 4.37 speed and 79th-percentile burst as an injury-contingent bet behind workhorse Rachaad White, noting Tucker handled double-digit touches in Weeks 16–17 last season when the depth chart thinned out. Pat pointed out Tampa Bay’s playoff schedule features two bottom-eight run defenses (Carolina and Dallas), giving Tucker a realistic path to a money-week spike if White misses even a single game. Because the final roster spot is better spent on a player who can jump to 15-plus touches with one ankle tweak in front of him, Pat prefers Tucker over redundant WR or TE fliers that rarely crack lineups.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound endorsed Mike Evans as an ideal ceiling play for Underdog’s 20-round Sprint. He reminded viewers that in a three-week playoff you only need two spike weeks to push a roster into the finals, and Evans still produces multi-TD eruptions despite his age. Pat likes stashing Evans as the WR3/4 on otherwise young builds, banking on his 14.3-yard career aDOT and eight seasons of double-digit touchdowns to deliver at least two 25-plus-point bombs. He called Evans the prototype "boom-bust" vet who can win Weeks 15-17 without requiring full-season consistency.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound called Chris Godwin an easy buy at current Puppy prices, noting that camp reports on his health should push the veteran up roughly a full round (about 12 picks) once the medical outlook turns positive. Pat is only 5.6 % exposed so far and used this draft as a ‘catch-up’ share, arguing that the market is overly cautious after Godwin’s late-season knee issues. He expects a quick ADP spike the moment beat writers confirm Godwin is participating in full-speed drills, which would erase today’s discount and make this the cheapest window to add him.

Greg Brainos grabbed Rachaad White in the middle rounds and explained why he still views the Buccaneers back as a weekly starter. New OC Josh Grizzard told reporters the 2024 backfield will look ‘pretty much how it ended last season,’ a direct endorsement of White’s 74-percent snap share and every third-down rep. Brainos added that White’s pass-protection grade ranked top-10 among qualified backs, locking him into two-minute and hurry-up packages even if rookie Bucky Irving siphons some early-down work. White quietly averaged 13.0 PPR points per game after Irving took over inside carries and now benefits from a best-ball friendly playoff slate against the Panthers, Dolphins and Falcons—three defenses that finished bottom-eight in RB reception yards. Stacked with Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, White delivers correlation upside while offering a high-floor RB2 profile for half-PPR formats.

Sigmund Bloom labeled Baker Mayfield the biggest ADP bargain at quarterback. Mayfield finished just 1–2 fantasy points per game behind Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts last season, yet is drafted four rounds later. Bloom sees nothing but green lights: Tampa Bay retained Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, added rookie playmakers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan, and kept pass-friendly OC Liam Coen. The Buccaneers also strengthened an already good offensive line, removing excuses for regression. With no competition for the starting job and an NFC South slate that should again foster shootouts, Bloom projected another top-5 cumulative finish and urged best-ball drafters to "wait and hit a home run" if Mayfield slips into the double-digit rounds, freeing early capital for premium positions without sacrificing quarterback ceiling.

Greg Brainos raved about Tampa Bay selecting Emeka Egbuka, calling him a "pick for the future but also for the present." Brainos highlighted general manager Jason Licht’s post-draft praise—Egbuka can play all three receiver spots, is a quick study, and carries pro-ready maturity. The Buccaneers spent stretches of 2023 using Cade Otten as their top passing option, underscoring the need for a reliable WR3. Brainos expects Egbuka to log heavy snaps in 11 personnel right away, benefiting from Mike Evans’ red-zone gravity and Baker Mayfield’s willingness to feed slot routes. Dynasty, best-ball, and late-round season-long drafters should view Egbuka as a plug-and-play upside pick in one of the league’s ascending offenses.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound pushed Cade Otton as an every-draft target in the 170s. He pointed to Otton’s iron-man usage—96% route participation after returning from injury and zero games below 80% snaps when healthy—as rare for any tight end, let alone one going in the 15th round. Pat noted that Tampa ran 12 personnel last season but still refused to take Otton off the field, calling him a "do-it-all TE the coaches trust." With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both carrying sixth-round price tags, Otton provides cheap leverage on a Buccaneers offense that ranked fifth in red-zone pass rate. Pat’s thesis: the minute Otton converts a couple of those end-zone looks, his 170-plus ADP will look comical.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound called Rachaad White “an awesome pick in this contest” because the Eliminator format rewards reliable weekly volume more than late-season spike weeks. He argued the Buccaneers telegraphed their intentions by ignoring running back in both free agency and the draft, all but guaranteeing White repeats last year’s 79% snap share and 70-target receiving role. Pat reminded viewers that White averaged 17.3 touches and 12.8 half-PPR points per game in 2023 despite Tampa ranking 27th in yards per play. In a contest where you must survive a coin-flip every week from Week 2 through Week 16, he wants the steady double-digit floor White provides rather than chasing rookies who may not see full workloads until Thanksgiving.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said Cade Otton is flat-out mis-priced, noting that he consistently falls roughly 30 draft spots after Kyle Pitts despite offering far steadier weekly usage. Pat reminded viewers that Otton was a 96% snap player whenever healthy last season, missing only three games, and that Tampa quietly kept him in a full-time route role even when they went heavy personnel. In contrast, Pitts is still a mediocre run blocker stuck on a ground-heavy Atlanta roster. Because the Buccaneers have no established No. 3 wideout and routinely use Otton as an outlet for Baker Mayfield, Pat has made Otton his most-rostered tight end in early best-ball rooms and is comfortable grabbing him 2–3 rounds ahead of current ADP whenever he has already missed on the top tier.

Kelly Stewart said she is backing Tampa Bay to win the NFC South again. Stewart likes what she saw from Baker Mayfield in 2023 and believes the Buccaneers enter 2024 with the most stable quarterback situation in the division while Carolina is still in full rebuild mode and New Orleans has what she called a 'big mess' at quarterback. She highlighted Week 1 (a rematch of last year’s pivotal division game) as an early swing spot and noted that last season’s title race ultimately came down to Tampa and Atlanta. With Mayfield settled, the Bucs’ defense mostly intact and no clear threat emerging elsewhere in the South, Stewart argued Tampa should be favored but is still being priced like a middle-of-the-pack team, creating value on their division future.

Silva rocketed Chris Godwin to WR23 (versus WR36 ADP) after reviewing 2023 film that showed the veteran playing "the best football of his career" before the ankle injury. He is betting on a near-full recovery because Tampa guaranteed $44 million of Godwin’s new $66 million deal—front-office proof they’re confident. On-field environment looks juicy: Silva projects the Buccaneers defense to be "downright bad" after minimal pass-rush upgrades and shaky rookie corners, forcing Baker Mayfield—whom Silva grades as borderline top-five in EPA per drop-back the last two years—into weekly shootouts. Even if Godwin opens on a snap count and misses a game or two, early-season production is easiest to replace in Best Ball, while a healthy stretch run attached to a volume-driven offense could deliver WR1 weeks at a WR3 price.

Sean Koerner downplayed concerns about a post-Liam-Cohen hangover, explaining that new OC John Grizzard already masterminded Tampa’s league-best 51% third-down conversion rate as situational strategist. Because Todd Bowles again promoted from within, Koerner expects the same shotgun-heavy, quick-read scheme that helped Baker Mayfield set career highs in touchdowns (28) and EPA per drop-back. Grizzard’s specialty is sequencing high-leverage downs, so Koerner anticipates the Bucs to remain top-10 in pass rate over expectation, preserving the weekly volume that fed Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and kept Rachaad White’s receiving floor intact. Koerner left Mayfield parked in the mid-QB2 tier but urged drafters not to discount him in superflex or as a cheap stacking partner with Evans in DFS tournaments.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound highlighted Cade Otton at pick 186 as an underrated way to buy into Tampa Bay’s ‘powerful offense’ on the cheap. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin commanding defensive attention—and expensive ADPs—Otton becomes the affordable leverage piece who can siphon red-zone looks from Baker Mayfield. Pat likes pairing Otton with Buccaneers or Panthers players for the indoor Week 16 rematch that could shoot out if Bryce Young takes a step. Given that elite tight ends are gone by Round 15, Pat thinks Otton’s every-down snap share (he ran a route on 78 percent of drop-backs after Week 10 last season) makes him a priority third tight end over fringe WR6 types that rarely crack starting lineups.

Davis Mattek called Chris Godwin a screaming value when he slipped to Pick 75 (10 spots past ADP). Through the first seven games of 2023, Godwin led all fantasy wide receivers with 50 catches, 575 yards and 5 TDs—out-producing Mike Evans before a mid-season injury. Mattek acknowledged the arrival of rookie Emeka Egbuka but still expects Godwin to command high-percentage targets in Tampa’s quick-hitting scheme. At a seventh-round price he offers proven 20-plus-point weekly ceiling and a reception floor that pairs perfectly with running-back-heavy builds.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said scooping Baker Mayfield 22 spots past ADP is a no-brainer in Eliminator drafts. Because every post-Week-3 round is a 50-50 coin flip against a single opponent, Pat prioritizes closing-line value over correlation when a quarterback free-falls. He argued that grabbing a discounted starter like Mayfield materially raises your overall advance rate—historically any passer falling 15+ picks beats baseline by nearly 5% on Underdog. Pat reminded listeners that Mayfield already cleared 4,000 passing yards last season and enters 2024 with the same OC and trio of veteran targets, giving him a bankable weekly floor that can steal a head-to-head matchup even without stacking.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said Chris Godwin is still a defensible click at pick 76 in Underdog’s Eliminator because the scoring format rewards immediate production just as much as the Week-17 final. Pat noted Godwin “doesn’t have to be fully healthy—he just has to be on the field” to pay off that price in September when six of twelve entrants advance. While Pat does not want heavy exposure, he believes Godwin’s long history of earning 20-plus percent target shares and Tampa’s pass-leaning tendencies give him the sturdy weekly floor necessary to survive the early multi-team cuts.

Adam Levitan scooped Baker Mayfield at 40-1 on FanDuel (25-1 on DK) pointing to three pillars: Mayfield ranked top-8 in EPA per play after Week 10, the NFC South remains the league’s softest division, and Tampa’s defense slipped to 24th in DVOA, forcing shootout scripts that inflate quarterback numbers. Levitan believes a 4,800-yard, 35-TD season on a 12-5 Buccaneers squad could replicate Matt Stafford’s 2021 narrative and pierce voter fatigue with the usual Allen/Mahomes suspects. He values the ticket down to 30-1.

Pete Overzet acknowledged Baker Mayfield sits 30 spots below his pick in ETR’s raw ranks but said the double-stack with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin makes him worth the reach. He walked through his four-box rubric—ETR rank, ADP, positional need, and correlation—and pointed out that Mayfield hits three of the four: he was the second-best value by ADP, filled the build’s glaring QB hole, and completed a premium pass-catcher stack. If the bet hits, the room now lives in a world where Mayfield posts a top-three fantasy season, instantly leveraging earlier capital spent on the Buccaneers receivers. Overzet’s takeaway: ignore the vacuum ranking and treat Mayfield at face-value ADP any time you already own both primary targets, because the correlation equity more than cancels out the isolated projection miss.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound warned drafters that rookie Jalen McMillan is 'basically dead' for Best-Ball Mania purposes because Tampa projects to keep rolling out heavy 11-personnel with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin locked into every-down roles. Pat expects Emeka Egbuka (the presumptive slot starter after being taken one round earlier) to soak up the remaining snaps, leaving McMillan as the WR4 who only gets on the field in four-wide looks or when a veteran rests. Tampa ran three-wide on 74% of snaps last year (6th-highest in the NFL), but their top three wideouts accounted for 78% of the team’s targets in those sets, leaving almost nothing for the fourth receiver. Pat’s bottom line: unless either Evans or Godwin misses significant time, McMillan’s rookie year ceiling is a handful of low-volume spike weeks—nowhere near what you need at his current late-11th-round ADP.

Cody Woodman advised pumping the brakes on Chris Godwin shares until camp reports clarify his role. He noted Tampa Bay just drafted what he views as Godwin’s eventual replacement and expects the Buccaneers to rotate receivers more, with Mike Evans already playing only about 70 percent of snaps. Combine that rotation with Godwin coming off a season-ending injury and Woodman wants concrete coach speak before buying in at a Round-6 price.

Erik Beimfohr reminded listeners that Baker Mayfield quietly finished 2024 as the QB4 overall while Tampa averaged top-10 offensive EPA. Mayfield was less than two fantasy points behind Joe Burrow yet costs four full rounds later (Round 8 vs. Round 4). Beimfohr thinks drafters are anchoring to Mayfield’s name value instead of the numbers: 4,508 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and a 7.8 YPA that ranked sixth in the league. The entire skill group—Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan—returns, and OC Liam Coen kept the aggressive down-field concepts that fueled Mayfield’s breakout. With Tampa’s defense projected bottom-12 in pass DVOA, Beimfohr expects another pass-heavy script and sees a realistic top-five ceiling at an eighth-round cost, calling Mayfield the easiest quarterback click in Best Ball drafts’ old-school QB window.

Erik Beimfohr targeted Chris Godwin as a screaming Round-6/7 value, reminding listeners that before dislocating his ankle last season Godwin was the WR2 overall—less than a point per game behind Ja'Marr Chase. Tampa’s offense remains "awesome," and Beimfohr argued every fear (age 30, the ankle, first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka, third-rounder Jalen McMillan) is fully baked into a price that would otherwise sit at the 2⁄3 turn. Godwin’s 2024 rebound to 2.36 yards per route—after three straight seasons around 1.75—shows he can still win from the slot when actually deployed there. Beimfohr acknowledged the downside scenarios Davis Mattek later outlined: if the Bucs push Godwin outside again or run a Chiefs-like rotation with all four wideouts playing 65 % of routes, his ceiling evaporates. Still, he believes Tampa will keep the veteran in his high-efficiency slot role while Egbuka and McMillan develop, making the current price a bet-the-logo situation where Godwin’s proven WR1 upside far outweighs the injury and usage risks.

Steve Palazzolo joked—but only half-joked—that 465-pound undrafted free-agent Desmond Watson could become Tampa’s "tush-push specialist." Watson owns a quirky stat line at Florida where his lone hand-off converted for a first down, giving him "100 percent success on rushing attempts." Palazzolo envisioned short-yardage sets featuring Watson and 350-pound Vita Vea in a double-A-gap alignment, either to stonewall Philly’s rugby-style sneak on defense or to bulldoze for inches on offense. For bettors hunting plus-4000 (or longer) fat-man touchdown props in preseason or early-season games, Palazzolo argued Watson is worth a sprinkle because Tampa’s staff has already used Vea as a lead blocker and loves creative personnel groupings. The massive nose tackle is still a roster long-shot, but if he sticks, Palazzolo believes the Buccaneers will at least experiment with a fan-favorite package that could cash a novelty anytime-TD ticket.

Sam Monson cautioned dynasty and best-ball drafters against expecting much from seventh-round speedster Tez Johnson in Year 1. Monson agreed the Oregon product brings "quickness, return value and the ability to create explosives," but stressed that Tampa already goes four-deep with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and first-rounder Emeka Egbuka. Those veterans leave very few snaps, let alone targets, for a 155-pound rookie who Monson believes will be "easier to keep off the field on this roster than almost anywhere else." Until injuries strike, Johnson projects as a situational gadget player and punt returner, making him a late-stash only in deep formats rather than a redraft target.

Steve Palazzolo compared seventh-rounder Tez Johnson to last year’s surprise contributor Bucky Irving, noting both tested poorly but play much faster on tape. At just 155 pounds Johnson ran a mediocre 4.51, yet Palazzolo emphasized his electric quickness, ability to "cook people" at the Senior Bowl and punt-return chops. He even credited Johnson with single-handedly dropping FSU corner Azaria Thomas a full round by torching him in drills. Palazzolo expects Johnson’s movement skills to translate immediately in a specialized slot/return role and recommends stashing him in deep best-ball or dynasty formats where cheap spike-week receivers have real value.

Sam Monson warned that Egbuka profiles as a "classic high-end number two receiver" who does everything well but lacks true WR1 upside. Monson noted the scouting consensus on Egbuka’s zone-beating savvy, post-catch power and reliability, yet pointed out that Tampa already has redundancy with Godwin and McMillan. He personally graded Egbuka outside his top-10 rookie wideouts and would have taken him later than Tampa’s late-first-round slot, especially given the Bucs’ lack of positional need. For dynasty or best-ball drafters, Monson advises letting someone else pay the first-round premium and targeting higher-ceiling options in that range.

Steve Palazzolo said Egbuka will see the field right away despite Tampa already rostering Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan. Palazzolo highlighted Egbuka’s ability to win from tight splits and the slot, his "outstanding" ball skills at the catch point and the fact that evaluators rave about his character. He argued that a fourth wideout still gets meaningful snaps in modern NFL offenses, and with Godwin coming off injury and getting older the rookie provides both short-term depth and a long-term succession plan. Dynasty managers should treat Egbuka as a plug-and-play WR3 with upside to grow into Godwin’s future role.

Adam Levitan likes Emeka Egbuka’s long-term outlook even though Tampa Bay’s receiver room is crowded today. The Bucs invested the 19th pick in Egbuka despite glaring defensive needs, signaling a future starting role. Baker Mayfield has been a "printing press" for fantasy receivers, fueling top-20 seasons from Mike Evans and Chris Godwin the past two years. Both veterans carry fragility—Evans turns 32 and Godwin is coming off multiple lower-leg injuries—so one injury could thrust Egbuka into an every-down role. Levitan views the rookie as an ideal ninth-round best-ball stash who offers league-winning spike-week potential when opportunity knocks.

Nez Badge Bros acknowledged a nagging worry that Mike Evans might finally slow down at age 31 but ultimately labeled those fears ‘priced in’ at his late-fourth-round Sprint tag. Evans’ game—dominating at the catch point rather than relying on speed—ages gracefully, and he has never fallen short of 1,000 yards in a season. Nez highlighted Evans’ 13.4-yard average depth of target and career-long 8.5 percent touchdown rate, arguing the wideout can offset any minor yardage dip with another double-digit TD campaign. With Baker Mayfield back and the Buccaneers projected to chase points weekly, Nez is comfortable drafting Evans at 4.08 until the wheels actually fall off.

Pete Overzet called Mike Evans at a 4.08 Sprint ADP "a gift." Evans usually goes at the 3-4 turn in Best Ball Mania and sits side-by-side with Davante Adams in ETR’s projections, yet drafters are passing on him 15 picks later here. Overzet highlighted Evans’ NFL-record 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons, a 31.5 % air-yard share last year, and Baker Mayfield’s extension that guarantees continuity. He concluded that the discount lets drafters start RB-heavy while still locking in a weekly WR1 ceiling—critical in the Sprint’s rotisserie playoff format where raw points matter more than week-to-week advance rates.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound slotted Baker Mayfield into the back end of the ‘elite’ quarterback bucket and urged drafters to take advantage while rooms still treat him like a mid-tier option. He reminded the chat that Mayfield quietly piled up 381 fantasy points last season—matching Joe Burrow’s total—despite a pass-heavy profile that masks his ceiling. Pat compared the 2023 line to Ryan Tannehill’s early Titans spike years, noting that a handful of sneaky rushing touchdowns could push Mayfield into the Lamar/Josh Allen tier on any given week. With Mayfield’s Sprint ADP hovering in the 90s, Pat views him as the cheapest path to 30-point QB weeks and is comfortable making him the first quarterback on hyper-fragile builds.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound pointed to Chris Godwin as the type of player who gains value in Sprint drafts. Because the tournament’s champion is determined by the combined points of Weeks 15-17, Pat likes veterans who may start the year quietly but traditionally heat up in December. Godwin averaged 9.8 targets per game after Week 10 last season and has finished as a top-24 WR in fantasy playoff weeks in three of the last four years. With an ADP that already discounts early-season uncertainty, Pat thinks Godwin profiles perfectly for a late-season spike week that can decide the Sprint’s 150K top prize.

Pete Overzet said that if Stefon Diggs, Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Godwin all make it to Week 17 healthy, Godwin is the one he wants in Best Ball Mania line-ups. He argued the Buccaneers slot maven still consolidates targets better than Aiyuk, whose volume is continually threatened by San Francisco’s crowded skill group, and he sees a clearer projection path for Godwin than for Diggs, who needs target dominance alongside rookie Drake Maye. Overzet noted both Tampa Bay and San Francisco will likely carry solid implied totals that week, but Godwin’s locked-in role as Baker Mayfield’s chain-mover makes him the safest bet for a 9-to-11 target game in the tournament finals.

Billy Jones upgraded Baker Mayfield by seven draft-slots following Tampa Bay’s Round-1 wide-receiver addition, arguing the initial day-one ADP dip was an overreaction. He noted that Mayfield already supported two top-24 fantasy receivers last year and now gains another explosive option, while the Buccaneers retained a pass-heavy philosophy. With the position flattening in 18-round formats, Jones likes Mayfield as a late QB2 who can be stacked cheaply with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin or the new rookie wideout without sacrificing early capital. He projects Mayfield for fringe-QB1 weekly upside and sees room for an additional half-round climb once summer projections update.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound warned that Chris Godwin’s weekly volume could be far more volatile in 2024 because new coordinator Liam Coen has said the Buccaneers intend to rotate four wide receivers. With Mike Evans still commanding alpha targets and rookie Jalen McMillan waiting in the wings, Pat expects Godwin’s once-rock-solid snap share to dip into the low-70-percent range. That timeshare, combined with Godwin’s post-injury efficiency decline, makes him a fade at current best-ball prices unless his ADP tumbles into the mid-WR4 tier.

Davis Mattek moved Emeka Egbuka into his mid-70s overall in dynasty startups after hearing Buccaneers GM Jason Licht gush that he "couldn’t sleep" for fear another team might jump them for Egbuka at pick 19. Mattek pointed out that despite staying for a fourth collegiate season, Egbuka left Ohio State as the school’s career leader in receptions and yards. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin drawing top coverage, Mattek expects Tampa to deploy Egbuka immediately as a high-volume slot/Z option, similar to early-career Chris Godwin usage. First-round draft capital, an aggressive pass rate under Dave Canales, and enthusiastic front-office backing make Mattek comfortable drafting Egbuka ahead of veterans in the Tyler Lockett tier, viewing him as a year-one WR3 with room to grow.

Pat Kerrane argued Bucky Irving should already be ranked ahead of vets like Josh Jacobs in both dynasty and early-season best-ball drafts. Kerrane highlighted that Irving finished 2024 as one of the NFL’s most efficient rushers—out-gaining Rachaad White in yards after contact and explosive-run rate despite a smaller sample. The Buccaneers added zero meaningful backfield competition in free agency or the draft, and the coaching staff has "kept raving" about Irving’s work ethic. Kerrane acknowledged rookie-year pass-protection issues but said that is the one area backs routinely improve in Year 2, citing his research for the Legendary RB Upside series. If Irving earns a full passing-down role, his already strong 1.60 yards per route run could spike. With Tampa expected to run a top-12 pace offense and give Irving an entire off-season to add weight and refine protection, Kerrane is comfortable taking him at the 2/3 turn in redraft and views him as a locked-in RB1 building block for the next three dynasty seasons.

Jason Moore said Emeka Egbuka can be started as a rookie WR3/FLEX right away. Moore emphasized three pillars: (1) path to snaps—Chris Godwin is still rehabbing and could open on PUP, so the slot is Egbuka’s on Day 1; (2) draft capital—Tampa spent pick 19 on him, matching recent first-round slots who averaged 88 targets as rookies; (3) surrounding talent—defenses must account for Mike Evans on the perimeter and K Dotton up the seam, leaving soft zone windows underneath. Moore projected 700-800 yards and 4-6 TDs, noting those numbers would have made Egbuka the WR37 last season. Because his ceiling is lower than Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers but his floor is much higher than Rome Odunze or Jaxon Smith-Njigba had in their rookie years, Moore is comfortable taking Egbuka in the 7th–8th round of season-long drafts and making him a core best-ball target where rookie late-season surges pay off.

Davis Mattek advised downgrading Jalen McMillan to waiver-wire fodder in shallow redraft and an end-of-bench hold in best-ball after Tampa spent first-round capital on Emeka Egbuka. Mattek noted McMillan mustered only a 13.4 percent target share, 1.19 yards per route run, and never topped eight targets, five receptions, or 75 yards despite separate injury absences from both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Even tight end Cade Otton produced a higher single-game volume last season. Mattek said Tampa’s decision to invest yet another premium pick at wide receiver signals the coaching staff views McMillan as a replaceable WR4, not a succession plan. With Evans still under contract for 2025 and Egbuka ticketed for slot work that overlaps McMillan’s role, the path to meaningful snaps is vanishing. He is removing McMillan from his top-200 best-ball board and recommends dynasty managers shop him before training-camp blurbs evaporate the remaining hype.

Davis Mattek outlined three separate ways Emeka Egbuka smashes his rookie ADP and said he will "auto-draft" the Buckeye whenever he slips to WR52 (around pick 113). Path one: Chris Godwin’s ankle never feels right, leaving 120 short-area targets up for grabs. Path two: Father Time finally nabs Mike Evans, who limps through an 11-game swan song and vacates red-zone looks down the stretch. Path three: everyone stays healthy, but Baker Mayfield repeats a 4,300-yard, 36-TD season and Egbuka consolidates the WR3 role—essentially combining last year’s Godwin plus Sterling Shepard usage for a 110-target, 82-catch, 900-yard, 6-TD line. Mattek reminded listeners that modern NFL passing efficiency hinges on keeping B-plus quarterbacks stocked with A-minus weapons; Tampa is simply future-proofing its offense. While he concedes early Underdog rooms could overprice the rookie, Mattek expects casual home leagues to bury him outside the top-150, making Egbuka the perfect contingency-based upside swing once the boring veterans are off the board.

Pat Kerrane said he is ready to hammer Emeka Egbuka any time the Buccaneers’ first-rounder falls outside the top-100 picks in Best Ball Mania drafts. Kerrane argued Tampa did not draft Egbuka 19th overall to solve an immediate need; they were simply convinced he is a high-floor, high-hit-rate football junkie who will flourish as a professional slot technician. Kerrane highlighted Egbuka’s 1.29 yards per route run as a sophomore while competing with Marvin Harrison Jr., plus his reputation for elite football IQ and work ethic, as indicators he will earn shallow and intermediate targets quickly. He expects Egbuka to be the primary inside receiver by mid-season, projecting a 19-22 percent target share if either Mike Evans (32 years old) or Chris Godwin (coming off ACL) miss time. Even with everyone healthy, Kerrane thinks Baker Mayfield’s 620-attempt offense can support a rookie line in the 70-850-6 range, making Egbuka an easy profit at WR45-plus ADP. He compared the fantasy trajectory to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s rookie stretch run: not a lid-lifter, but a reception machine once an opening appears.

Davis Mattek labeled Chris Godwin a post-draft loser and moved him down to the late-7th/early-8th-round range (around pick 80). Mattek fears Godwin could open the season on the PUP list, noting that multiple teams kicked the tires on signing him but ultimately balked, hinting at lingering health concerns. Tampa Bay then spent first-round capital on another pass catcher, crowding targets for whenever Godwin does return. With Baker Mayfield’s 6.4-yard average depth of target and a bottom-five neutral pass rate, Mattek worries Godwin’s fantasy value hinges on sheer volume that may never materialize. He advised passing on Godwin at his historical ADP and waiting until the market prices in the injury and offensive-environment risk.

Pete Overzet told viewers they should still draft rookie Bucky Irving in Eliminator drafts because his late-season upside can swing a bracket, but only if they protect the pick with a proven ‘chaperone’ back. Irving could take a month or two to vault Tampa Bay’s depth chart, and weekly one-on-one eliminations will not forgive early zeros. Pete’s fix is to grab a boring, locked-in volume veteran in the same build so the roster keeps advancing until Irving’s ceiling weeks arrive. He framed it as “walking a tightrope with a safety net” – the upside is worth it, but you must guarantee early production elsewhere.

Rebar grabbed mid-first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka at 1.10, calling Tampa Bay a sneaky-good landing spot. Baker Mayfield averaged just 6.6 yards per attempt and a 73 passer rating on 170 dropbacks without Mike Evans or Chris Godwin last season, underscoring how desperately the Buccaneers needed a third option—and how quickly Egbuka could become the first. Evans has endured hamstring issues four straight seasons and Godwin has finished one full campaign since 2018, making this the oldest and most injury-prone WR tandem in the league. Rebar believes Egbuka’s talent combined with inevitable volume spikes when either veteran misses time offers an immediate fantasy floor with long-term WR1 ceiling once the vets age out or leave in free agency.

Adam Levitan warned drafters not to chase Emeka Egbuka’s Round-1 pedigree early in 2025 drafts. ETR’s initial ranks slot the rookie just 115th overall because Tampa already features Mike Evans (31st) and Chris Godwin (76th) plus fellow rookie Jalen McMillan (111th) fighting for perimeter snaps. Levitan expects a three-wide rotation that keeps Egbuka below a 60 % snap rate out of the gate, noting that the Buccaneers also have a two-back committee (Rachaad White, Bucky Irving) and multiple tight ends siphoning short-area targets. The takeaway: treat Egbuka as a long-term dynasty asset and bypass him in redraft or best-ball until his ADP falls into the double-digit rounds.

Sean Koerner called Baker Mayfield the immediate winner of Tampa Bay’s decision to draft Emeka Egbuka. Mayfield now projects to have at least two starting-caliber wideouts on the field at all times even if Mike Evans or Chris Godwin misses time, something Koerner said "killed drives" last season when injuries struck simultaneously. Tampa already ranked eighth in pass rate over expectation, and Koerner expects new OC Liam Coen to maintain a similar tilt, giving Mayfield stable weekly volume. With an upgraded receiver trio, Koerner bumped Mayfield to the high-end QB2 range for season-long leagues and labeled him a "set-and-forget second quarterback" in superflex formats.

Chris Raybon urged drafters to fade Chris Godwin after Tampa Bay spent first-round capital on Emeka Egbuka. Raybon noted that Godwin is coming off what he called a "serious" late-season injury and will turn 29 before Week 1—an age where recovery windows start to stretch. He interprets the Egbuka pick as a front-office signal that they are bracing for limited 2025 contributions from Godwin, potentially even a "lost season" if rehab lags. With Mike Evans still dominating downfield work and Egbuka expected to be a day-one contributor, Raybon dropped Godwin two full tiers in both best-ball and redraft ranks, slotting him as a back-end WR4 who needs unexpected health progress to regain WR2 volume.

Sean Koerner called Emeka Egbuka the "safest" receiver in the class but warned that Tampa Bay’s current depth chart caps his rookie-year ceiling. Koerner praised Egbuka’s polished route tree and quarterback-friendly game—likening him to Amon-Ra St. Brown—but noted that Mike Evans (28 percent target share) and Chris Godwin (23 percent) still command the lion’s share of looks. With Baker Mayfield finishing 29th in pass attempts last year and OC Liam Coen traditionally leaning run-heavy in the red zone, Koerner projected Egbuka for only a 16-18 percent target share and sub-700 yards as the WR3/slot option. He is fading Egbuka at his current WR43 best-ball price and slotting him as a late-round depth pick in season-long formats unless an injury opens up extra volume.

Chris Raybon graded Tampa Bay’s selection of Emeka Egbuka 19th overall as a clear reach that dampens the rookie’s fantasy and betting appeal. He noted most evaluators projected Egbuka in the mid-20s or later and argued wide receiver was not a pressing need for a Buccaneers offense that thrived last year despite coaching turnover. By bypassing defensive playmakers Jaday Barron and Kamari Harmon and then circling back to corner in Round 2, Raybon believes the Bucs telegraphed that Egbuka is a luxury role player rather than an immediate target hog. He advised dynasty managers to temper Year-1 expectations, labeling Egbuka a bench stash in seasonal formats and fading him in Offensive Rookie of the Year markets shorter than 25-1.

Steve Palazzolo highlighted Tez Johnson as a classic Round-7 dart throw who actually offers the Buccaneers something their stacked receiver corps lacks – pure jitterbug quickness. Although Johnson’s combine 4.51 forty underwhelmed, Palazzolo stressed that "the defense seems to think he’s quick" on film and referenced Senior Bowl reps where the 173-pounder repeatedly made corners fall over with inside-out releases. Tampa already boasts Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Trey Palmer, but none possess Johnson’s sudden stop-start ability that mirrors Tank Dell’s rookie-year separation profile. Palazzolo believes that unique trait, plus potential punt-return duties, creates a realistic path to active-game-day status even as WR5. Dynasty GMs should treat him like Dell was treated last summer – a cheap stash with spike-week appeal – while best-ball drafters can burn their final pick on a player who might pop the first time a 49ers-style motion package frees him over the middle.