Buccaneers' Jalen McMillan is blossoming into the ultimate fantasy football sleeper

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even after losing Mike Evans, have one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the NFL.

Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka get the bulk of the headlines, and the hype train surrounding rookie Ted Hurst is also in high gear.

Often lost in the mix is Jalen McMillan, who could be due for a breakout entering his third season. 

Outside of Tampa Bay, McMillan is the forgotten man, but inside the walls of One Buc Place, the Bucs are preparing for him to take on a significant role this season. 

Buccaneers’ Jalen McMillan is a fantasy football league winner in 2026  

According to DraftSharks, McMillan’s ADP currently sits at WR68, and No. 185 overall. In many fantasy football leagues, you can land McMillan on the waiver wire, without even investing a draft pick. 

Stashing McMillan on your bench as a late-round flier is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward move. His potential in 2026 far outweighs his current ADP. 

McMillan burst into the scene in his rookie season back in 2024. He caught 37 passes for 461 yards, which might not jump out at you, but his claim to fame was his ability to find the end zone.

McMillan caught eight touchdowns as a rookie, and ended the season with five consecutive games with a score. 

Last year, McMillan’s sophomore campaign was derailed before it began thanks to a career-threatening neck injury suffered in the preseason.

He was only able to play in four games last year, but in his small sample size, he made his presence felt and built some momentum heading into 2026.

In a Week 17 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, McMillan caught 7 passes for 114 yards. He proved how productive he can be with a significant target share, and there could be plenty more where that came from in 2026.

With Mike Evans out of the picture, everybody in the wide receiver room will be in for an increased role in the offense. 

Further helping McMillan’s case is that he'll likely start the year as the primary outside receiver. With Chris Godwin locked in as the slot receiver, and Emeka Egbuka transitioning to play the Z receiver role full-time, that leaves McMillan as the top candidate for outside receiver snaps.

The only obstacle in the way of a breakout year is availability. McMillan missed 13 games last year, and four games as a rookie.

If he can stay on the field, his increased target share combined with his knack for finding the end zone could lead to a breakout year that could help win you your fantasy league. 

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