Skip to content
Pewter Report Logo
Home
News
Articles
PR Podcasts
PR Mailbag
SR’s Fab 5
SPORTSBOOK
About
Forum
The Red Board
Hall of Fame Board
Advertise
Donate
Contact
PR Store
Bucs Gear
Home |How The Bucs WRs Can Crack ESPN’s Top 10 List
By PRStaff
Jul. 20, 2026
1:28 pm
0 Comments
Bucs Wrs Chris Godwin Jr. And Emeka Egbuka
Home |How The Bucs WRs Can Crack ESPN’s Top 10 List
By PRStaff
Jul. 20, 2026
Table of Contents
What Each Bucs Receiver Can Do To Crack Th The Top 10
Chris Godwin Jr.
Emeka Egbuka
Jalen McMillan
Tez Johnson
Follow Pewter Report on Google News
ESPN recently released its annual ranking of the top 10 wide receivers in the NFL, compiled by Jeremy Fowler. This list is voted on by a number of league executives, scouts, and coaches. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, none of the Bucs receivers made the list this year.
Similar to many of the other position groups, the Bucs receiver room was a host to many injuries throughout the season. With constant personnel swaps, even the players that didn’t suffer from injury struggled to find consistency. Here’s what each of them needs to do differently this season to earn a spot amongst the top 10.
What Each Bucs WR Can Do To Make The Top 10 List
Chris Godwin Jr.
For the elder statesman of the receiver room, the biggest concern of all is staying healthy. Sometimes, your best ability is your availability, and unfortunately for Chris Godwin Jr., injuries took away much of his time on the field this past season.
Recovering from an ankle injury sustained from the season before kept Godwin from seeing the field in Weeks 1-3. His return was short-lived with a fibula injury in Week 5 against the Seahawks effectively keeping him on the sidelines through Week 11.
Bucs Wr Chris Godwin Jr.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
While Godwin was never put on injured reserve, there was a long ramping up period before he came back to the lineup. Logging only 360 yards throughout the season, it was his lowest since entering the league in 2017. It’s safe to say he was not at his full potential due to the lingering injuries.
While Mike Evans’ departure from Tampa Bay wasn’t pleasant news for any Bucs fan, it does mean that Godwin will likely get more opportunities and targets this season. This factor, combined with his seniority, puts him in prime position to be the Bucs’ standout receiver. If he can avoid injury, Godwin certainly has a chance at making next season’s top 10. It’s also a big season ahead for him as it’s the last year of contract that has guaranteed money, so the Bucs may have a difficult decision to make at the end of the season unless he gets back on track.
Emeka Egbuka
Emeka Egbuka is a name that Tampa Bay has quickly come to know and love. The 2025 first-rounder out of Ohio State saw amazing production early in the season. He recorded two touchdowns in his first regular season NFL game and made some fantastic plays, causing him to be named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month in September.
He was an early favorite for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Unfortunately, his numbers fell drastically during the second half of the season. A minor hamstring injury around Week 6 slowed down the rookie receiver, as well as a lack of veteran help. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. both missed time, causing defenses to double-team Egbuka, hurting his numbers. He was getting attention from opposing defenses that he never experienced during his career at Ohio State.
Bucs Wr Emeka Egbuka
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
This offseason, Egbuka is getting his first breath since winning a national championship, going straight into the NFL draft and then into his first full NFL season. Being able to get his footing and settle into one position at receiver will be crucial for Egbuka to have a consistent season and a shot at the top 10.
Jalen McMillan
While much of the receiver room has suffered from injury, Jalen McMillan has probably had it the worst. His sophomore season started with a horrific spinal injury consisting of three fractured vertebrae in a Week 2 preseason game in Pittsburgh.
This injury caused McMillan to miss the majority of the 2025 season, but when he finally made his return in December, he wasted no time. Even having to split backup snaps, McMillan was able to record 12 receptions in his four games back. He played a big part in the offense during a game against the Dolphins in Week 17, recording 114 yards and seven receptions.
Bucs Wr Jalen Mcmillan
Bucs WR Jalen McMillan – Photo by: Nathan Ray Seebeck -Imagn Images
McMillan is a prime example of untapped potential. He is definitely in a good position to break out this year and “>put the league on notice by regain his form from his rookie year where he scored seven touchdowns in the final five games of the regular season. He certainly has something to prove and his explosiveness makes him a great candidate for next season’s top 10.
Tez Johnson
Tez Johnson was discounted during the 2025 NFL Draft process mainly due to his size. At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, many scouts were unsure of how he would perform in the league. Johnson quickly shut down the noise, recording five touchdowns during his rookie campaign. His twitchiness and quick footing allowed him to pick up extra yards when it looked like there was nothing to gain.
Heading into his sophomore season, there is a lot more reliability in Johnson’s game than there was his rookie year. This, along with other factors like losing Mike Evans and Sterling Shepard make it more likely that Johnson gets more targets and more opportunities to prove himself this season.
Bucs Wr Tez Johnson
Bucs WR Tez Johnson – Photo by: USA Today
Johnson’s size is definitely a factor, especially when considering yards after the catch, but it is unrealistic to think that his weight will fluctuate much. Much of what makes Johnson’s game so special is the way his size allows him to evade defenders. He is not your standard NFL wide receiver, but playing to his strengths will help him stand out during his sophomore season. While it’s unlikely that Johnson would crack the top 10 due to the players in front of him on the depth chart, Johnson’s five touchdowns shows that he’ll have an important impact on the offense.
Other key pieces for the Bucs include Kameron Johnson as well as recent free-agent signing David Sills along with third-round pick Ted Hurst. With so much depth in the receiver room, nobody can be counted out for what contributions they will bring. Only time will tell about who will make their mark, but it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see one or more Bucs on next year’s ESPN top 10 wide receivers list.
– Story written by Pewter Report’s Kat Beutel
Prstaff 19488
Previous
Bucs Ilb Josiah TrotterHow Early Will Josiah Trotter Make An Impact For The Bucs In 2026?
Post
Subscribe
Connect with
DisagreeAgree
Connect with
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Pewter Report Bucs News
PewterReport.com prides itself on being the most complete, comprehensive news source covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and delivering inside scoop on the team found nowhere else.
Page load link
Like And Follow
32,000+
Follow
67,000+
Follow
15,000+
Subscribe
23,000+
wpDiscuz
0
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x