The Tampa Bay Buccaneers watched as Mike Evans left town in free agency to join the San Francisco 49ers. After spending 12 years in Tampa Bay, he decided to head elsewhere, and that means the Bucs will need someone else to step up.
Thankfully for them, they have Emeka Egbuka on the roster, after nabbing him with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He's someone who will have more on his plate in 2026, and Pro Football Focus believes he'll be a breakout candidate.
In an article by Bradley Locker, he wrote, "With the legendary Mike Evans now in San Francisco, the Buccaneers are assuredly expecting Egbuka to help shoulder much of that vacant production. The smoothness, versatility and sure-handedness that Egbuka put on display in Columbus figure to catalyze a second-year breakout."
And when you take a look at the depth chart, you can easily see that being the case.
PFF believes Emeka Egbuka will breakout for Bucs in 2026
In his rookie campaign, the Ohio State product led the team in targets (127), catches (63), receiving yards (938), and touchdowns (6). He started hot in the first five weeks of the season, compiling 25 catches for 445 receiving yards and five touchdowns. During that span, he had the 12th-best receiver grade on PFF (75.8).
Things took a bit of a dip for the rest of the year, mostly plagued by his 11.6% drop rate. While that's an area he'll certainly need to clean up, the tools are there for him to be a true WR1 in this offense. Baker Mayfield already trusted him as a rookie, and that should only grow with more reps, in addition to another offseason of building chemistry.
It also works in his favor that he'll be the best receiver in that room. Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson, and 2026 third-rounder Ted Hurst are other receivers who will play for Tampa Bay, but Egbuka's ceiling is definitely the highest.
He came into the NFL red hot and displayed his ability to be a game-changer. With the No. 1 WR spot wide open, it's up to Egbuka to grab that by the horns and take over. He'll be heavily featured in this aerial attack, and fans should expect a bigger season for the sophomore.
He was on the brink of eclipsing 1,000 yards as a rookie, and with a year of NFL experience under his belt, the sky is the limit.
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