Sometimes I write about topic or talk about it on the podcast, and then a day or two later, everything changes -- or at least, *potentially* changes.
Yesterday I discussed the Buccaneers' offensive playmakers. Could have previewed the Hall of Fame game, but let's face it: there weren't many fantasy prospects on the field last night. The most intriguing angle was Carson Beck, and today's seven-minute podcast has that covered.
So back to yesterday: I talked about Tampa Bay's offense because it's fascinating. Only two of their guys are ranked inside the over top-90. Yet eight of their players have had brief-to-extended periods of fantasy dominance. From Sean Tucker (a small handful of games) to Chris Godwin (an exceptional career). Half of them are 24 years old or younger. There are a lot of ascending talents and multiple in-their-prime players.
Since this episode focused on the eight guys with at least some experience posting big numbers, I intentionally left out rookie wideout Ted Hurst III. At the time, it seemed like a safe bet that he'd start the season no better than the #4 WR, and that even an injury to Godwin or another receiver wouldn't guarantee Hurst's fantasy relevance.
But McMillan reportedly banged his knee, and according to head coach Todd Bowles, his return date isn't known. This is a guy who carries plenty of hype from his incredible late-2024 rookie surge, when he logged a 24-316-7 receiving line in his final five games (though Godwin was sidelined in all of them). McMillan's WR58 ADP is pretty impressive for a team's #3 WRs. It suggests that all three of Tampa Bay's starting wideouts might be fantasy relevant.
McMillan was the 92nd overall draft pick in 2024 and the 15th WR selected. Two years later, the Bucs made Hurst the 84th overall pick . . . and the 15th WR selected. A neck injury sidelined McMillan for 13 contests last year. Hurst is trying to make a leap after a two-year stint at Georgia State, which won four games and lost 20.
McMillan's injury and Hurst's potential wouldn't matter so much if Godwin hadn't missed a majority of his team's games these past two seasons. But Godwin is 30 and a higher-than-normal injury risk. Had Bowles said McMillan might miss a week, we might ignore it. But it's the "not knowing" that leads to ADP adjustments. We'll see how the market reacts in the coming days.