Emeka Egbuka flashed again for the Buccaneers in Week 2 of the preseason, pulling in a one-handed touchdown against Brandin Echols and drawing praise for his polish. His lone reception underscored high-end ability, even as he played a limited role. Tampa Bay is expected to lean on him early, especially with Chris Godwin Jr. nursing an ankle injury from 2024 and Jalen McMillan on injured reserve.

PFF’s Dalton Wasserman highlighted Egbuka’s high-end potential, noting a seam-to-corner threat and a play where a pass sailed out of bounds, suggesting the rookie could contribute quickly in the Buccaneers’ passing game. While he may not be the top target right away, his poise and route sense hint at a rapid path to meaningful snaps in a QB-friendly system.

With the Bridgewater-led offense showing steady competence and Brandin Echols locking down opposing receivers in the preseason, Tampa Bay’s receiving corps could feature Egbuka prominently sooner than later. Fantasy managers should monitor Godwin’s health and the rookie’s continued usage as Week 1 approaches, as the slate could tilt toward a more defined pass-catching role earlier than expected.

Overall, Egbuka’s Week 2 performance reinforces a tantalizing upside for dynasty formats and a cautious DFS/season-long bet for 2024 fantasy rosters, especially in deeper leagues that prize rookie opportunity and pass-game involvement.

Fantasy drafts hinge on late‑round launches from players who can flip a season. This piece maps one sleeper from every NFL team for 2025, focusing on no‑name backs and No.3 receivers who could become league‑winners in a crunch. From Trey Benson in Arizona to Jacory Croskey‑Merritt in Washington, each pick is rooted in depth‑chart opportunity, scheme usage, and staying power down the stretch. The aim is straightforward: identify players who can punch above their ADP and swing playoff races in Weeks 14+.

Key clusters emerge: Arizona’s Benson offers breakaway speed behind Conner; Baltimore’s Bateman has route discipline and red‑zone savvy; Los Angeles Rams’ Atwell could seize a bigger third option role if injuries strike. Across the league, sleepers come from every pocket of depth: slot burners, speed threats, and backs who can vulture goal‑line touches. The strategy here is clear—target these value bets in later rounds, monitor camp buzz, and chase players with clear paths to meaningful snaps as the season unfolds.

In practice, the list nudges fantasy managers toward ballots of upside: backs who can handle 3–4 week workloads, receivers who can unlock big plays with even modest targets, and offenses that can sustain multiple contributors. If you’re sitting in rounds 10–14, these sleepers become your runway to top‑tier value. It’s not about drafting a star, but about harvesting leverage from the depth chart and turning it into points when it matters most.

sleeper tight ends to target abound in 2024, with Chig Okonkwo, Brenton Strange and Isaiah Likely leading the charge. Okonkwo exploded in the Titans’ late-season run, flashing elite speed and per-play efficiency, and playoff production that suggested a real fantasy ceiling if his snap rate stays high. Strange seized a near-full-time role for Jacksonville when Evan Engram was out, delivering strong weeks and a clear path to a larger target share. Baltimore’s Likely emerged as a high-upside handcuff who can swing fantasy weeks when Andrews isn’t on the field. The piece notes how ADP compression at TE leaves real sleepers in play, especially on teams willing to feature tight ends in 11/12 personnel and with evolving offensive schemes. The Titans’ and Ravens’ layouts, plus Jacksonville’s rotation change under a new OC, create concrete paths for these players to crack top-12 and top-6 fantasy floors, even in redraft formats.

Fourteen tight ends sit inside the top 121 in ADP, underscoring the volatility and opportunity around the position. Loveland and Warren sit outside the immediate sleepers, but the article highlights that several veterans and mid-draft pieces can pay off if they land on a favorable depth chart or see a boost from injuries. The overall message: read the offense, watch playing time, and pounce on the off-the-radar TE who can anchor a playoff push or provide season-long upside in the late rounds.

Tampa Bay’s defense surged with energy Saturday, flashing a faster, more dynamic frontline as Bowles challenged his young edge rushers to grow. Chris Braswell Jr. stood out, delivering the kind of early impact the Buccaneers’ depth has chased all offseason. The unit’s speed contrasted with an offense missing key pieces, underscoring why TB prioritizes a versatile front seven. Bowles praised the quartet of Braswell, Jose Ramirez, Markees Watts and Warren Peeples Jr., while stressing that growth must be mental as much as physical. With the preseason finale against Buffalo upcoming, the spotlight remains on whether this young crop can translate practice tempo to real-game snaps and push the rotation forward.

The Buccaneers have quietly fortified edge and linebacker depth this offseason, building a squad capable of multiple looks. Skylar Thompson’s athleticism was noted as part of the performance against the Steelers, while Bowles emphasized the need for players to put together the complete package—mentally, then physically. Buffalo looms on the road as a stern test, and how TB handles the Bills’ high-powered offense could shape early-season expectations for the edge group. The takeaway: the next steps are clear, and the next game will be telling for this developmental cohort.

Tampa Bay is rooted as the season’s big story in Connor Orr’s projection, pegged for a memorable 12-5 run that lands the Buccaneers as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The forecast emphasizes a sneaky-deep roster capable of pulling off marquee wins against legit contenders—Philadelphia, Detroit, and Buffalo—while noting a late-season stretch against weaker opponents that could fuel consistency down the stretch. The NFC South looks thin beyond TB, with Atlanta at 9-9 and Carolina at 6-11, sealing a divisional playoff drought for the other teams. For fantasy managers, Tampa Bay’s position hints at a stable, high-floor offense with potential playoff-growth momentum, even as intra-division dynamics tilt expectations elsewhere. The broader takeaway: TB’s path to fantasy relevance is tied to depth across the lineup and timely performances against strong foes, rather than relying on a single star-making run.

The piece also sketches a ripple effect across the conference: Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Detroit are highlighted as standout programs TB can’t simply run through, making Week-to-week scouting and matchup play crucial as the season unfolds. With the rest of the NFC South underwhelming by Orr’s lens, the Bucs’ path to the postseason is framed as a win-now, balance-of-roster affair, rather than a pure miracle month. Fantasy implications center on identifying value across TB’s backfield and receiving corps as the offense spreads opportunities, while monitoring late-season opponents who could shape the playoff push.

The narrative style remains grounded in roster depth, schedule shape, and a belief in Tampa Bay’s ability to win big games away from the expected, rather than relying on a single superstar to carry the load. For fantasy players, this means potential late-season leverage from TB’s depth pieces and a cautious eye on enemies TB might exploit in pivotal divisional showdowns. The result is a cautiously optimistic blueprint for a season-long run with meaningful fantasy upside and strategic rostering decisions that hinge on timing and opponent fit.