Buccaneers Rookie Continues to Climb Fantasy Draft Boards
We’re at that time of year when Fantasy Football drafts are taking place day in and day out. Today, I want to draw some attention to Buccaneers rookie Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka. Tampa Bay selected Egbuka with the 19th overall pick as the third receiver off the board. Just like any team, they’re planning for the future, as they know that both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have limited productive years left. Evans is 32, entering his 12th season, hoping to put together one more 1,000-yard season to break Jerry Rice’s record of consecutive seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards. Godwin, 29, is coming off a dislocated ankle, which caused him to miss just over half of last season, and Tampa Bay still gave him an extension after the season. However, even if he returns, there’s no telling if he’ll be the same player after two surgeries. With Godwin out until at least midseason and Jalen McMillan dealing with a sprained neck, Egbuka is lined up to be the WR2 in Tampa Bay to start the season.
Why is the former Buckeye climbing up draft boards so much? It’s not just because of his situation and the fact that he will have much more volume out the gate than originally anticipated. Reports about the rookie during training camp have made him glow. Egbuka is exactly the type of young receiver that Baker Mayfield wants to be rotating into the offense. He’s a typical size for a playmaker and has experience playing outfielder, which is illustrated constantly by his ball-tracking skills downfield.
Standing at six-foot-one and 202 pounds, Egbuka is an all-around stud. His 4.45 40-yard dash isn’t record-breaking by any means, but it’s more than fast enough to have big-play abilities. He’s a lethal weapon in breaking down zone coverage with ease and “yards after catch” situations. With Baker’s recent breakout, I wouldn’t expect the passing game in Tampa to slow down by any means. I expect Egbuka to surprise a lot of people this year. With his combined skill set and new situation, he’s got a great chance to emerge as one of the league’s top weapons. With an ADP of around 62, he’s being drafted as most teams' flex/bench option. This is an absolute steal in a guy who could end up being a high-end WR2.
