The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
enter Week 1 with plenty of weapons for Baker Mayfield, but the wide receiver room isn't completely healthy heading into Sunday's matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jalen McMillan is doubtful with a knee injury, making it unlikely Tampa Bay will have its usual top three receivers together. Emeka Egbuka appears ready to go after dealing with a toe injury, while Chris Godwin enters the opener healthy.McMillan's expected absence could also create an opportunity for Ted Hurst III, who sits behind him on the depth chart. Here's how fantasy managers should approach Tampa Bay's receivers in Week 1.
Chris Godwin: Start
Godwin should be one of the easier decisions for fantasy managers. He enters the season healthy after injuries disrupted his 2025
campaign, and his established connection with Mayfield gives him a solid floor in Tampa Bay's passing game.
McMillan's likely absence could make Godwin even more relied on than planned. Tampa Bay still has Egbuka, Cade Otton, and others as options in the passing game, but taking one starting receiver out of the equation leaves opportunities available elsewhere. Godwin's ability to work underneath and from the slot also gives Mayfield an experienced target if Cincinnati's revamped defensive front forces him to get the ball out quickly.
Emeka Egbuka: Start
Egbuka's toe was worth monitoring in preseason and earlier in the week, but his practice participation has taken away much of the concern heading into Sunday. The second-year receiver was a full participant throughout the week and enters the matchup without an injury designation.
That's especially important with McMillan doubtful for Week 1's contest against the Bengals. Egbuka was already going to have a significant role in the offense, and there could be more opportunities available if Tampa Bay is forced to shuffle its receiver rotation. Cincinnati does have talent in its secondary, particularly DJ Turner II, so the matchup shouldn't be treated as an automatic breakout spot, but Egbuka's health and expected role make him a receiver fantasy managers can comfortably keep in their lineups.
Ted Hurst III: Desperation flex
Hurst becomes a much more interesting option if McMillan is inactive. The rookie is listed behind McMillan on Tampa Bay's depth chart and could be asked to handle a larger role in his NFL debut, but an increase in snaps doesn't necessarily guarantee enough targets to make him a dependable fantasy option.
Godwin and Egbuka remain ahead of him in the passing game, while Irving, Gainwell, and Otton give Mayfield other established options. That makes Hurst more of a desperation play for managers in deeper leagues or those already dealing with injuries at receiver. Still, McMillan's expected absence gives him a path to immediate playing time, and his usage Sunday will be worth monitoring for more than just Week 1.
Jalen McMillan: Sit
McMillan being listed as doubtful makes this the easiest decision of the group. The knee injury limited him throughout the week, and even an unexpected active designation Sunday wouldn't make him a safe fantasy option because there is too much uncertainty surrounding his potential workload.
Fantasy managers should keep McMillan on the bench and see how Tampa Bay handles his return before putting him back into a lineup. His status also directly affects Hurst, who could become the primary beneficiary if McMillan is inactive against Cincinnati.
For Week 1, Godwin and Egbuka are the Tampa Bay receivers fantasy managers can trust, while Hurst is a high-risk option for managers searching deeper into their benches. McMillan should remain out of lineups until his knee is ready and Tampa Bay establishes what his role will look like when he returns.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Which Bucs wideouts should you start in fantasy week 1?
