The e Tampa Bay Buccaneers started their season without one of their best wide receivers, as Jalen McMillan has not played since the August 16 preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The injury came after McMillan had a monster rookie season in 2024 as he played dominantly for the Bucs.
the 2024 third round pick had 37 receptions for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns as a rookie, with a majority of that, around 24 receptions for 316 yards, happening during the final five games of the season, in which he led the NFL with seven touchdowns. The Bucs were hoping he would continue his dominance, but it was suddenly derailed in an injury suffered during the preseason.
What Happened to Jalen McMillan?
During that preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, McMillan suffered a severe neck sprain, causing him to get shelved for at least the first eight games of the season. However, it has been reported that the wide receiver is currently on track to heal, but is currently languishing in the injured reserve.
So far, McMillan has not been exerting too much, including practicing or doing strenuous physical movement so that he would not injure himself any further. The Buccaneers have been playing it safe with the ones in their injured reserve, such as Jaden Smith, and it does not seem that McMillan will be returning anytime soon.
Is Jalen McMillan Playing Week 8?
With McMillan still in the injured reserve, it is clear that he will be missing Week 8. However, the coaching staff believe that he is still on track to make a comeback this season, though it is estimated that he will be returning around Week 14, when the Bucs host the New Orleans Saints at home.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles commented on the wide receiver’s injury status as well:
“Timetable has not changed. We see him every day. He is doing fine, but we’re just walking in the hallway, so I cannot tell you, physically, how he is doing, but he is doing fine,” he said.
Jalen McMillan Fantasy Outlook
With McMillan not expected to return anytime soon, it should be safe to sit him out or just drop him. However, it should be noted that he has put up monster numbers when healthy, so sitting him should be a safe option.
In the meantime, Emeka Egbuka has been playing well in place of the injured McMillan, and Fantasy managers should consider picking him up.
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