Jalen McMillan was the embodiment of that famous saying that “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish”. That was the case in 2024 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver.
In just five weeks, the Pirates rookie went from being a filler WR to becoming a valuable weapon capable of changing any fantasy router in 2025.
The McMillan brothers were incredible in 2024
Between weeks 14 and 18 of the season, McMillan sealed the envelope in epic fashion
- 7 touchdowns in five games.
- A five-game scoring streak
- A more active role in Baker Mayfield’s offense.
- He averaged 63.2 yards per game
- 18.4 percent target share.
- WR11 production in fantasy points per game.
In the last game of the season, against Carolina, he made it very clear who he is and made it clear what he is made of.
Two touchdowns, precise routes and total chemistry with Mayfield. Not coincidentally, he appeared on more than 23 percent of Yahoo’s public league championship teams.
McMillan will get plenty of playing time with Tampa
Let’s analyze the outlook for Jalen McMillan, because this is where things get interesting
Chris Goodwin is in recovery and is entering a contract year, Mike Evans is still the alpha, but he is no longer immortal in his position
Tampa invested draft capital in Emeka Egbuka. In theory, that relegates McMillan to a WR4 role. In practice, any injury or underperformance could push him back into immediate relevance.
Another point to note is that this WR did not only shine in the red zone, he was more than that. His 2.09 yards per route and 22.9 percent first target rate make him a player who knows how to earn the trust of his QB
There is only one risk, its volatility: if Evans and Godwin stay healthy all season, their volume could be diluted.
You must have McMillan in your fantasy
McMillan is one of the most valuable “handcuff WRs” on the market today. In traditional leagues he may be nothing more than a stash or a late pick, but in best ball or deep formats, he is a shot with high potential return. If the schedule or injuries open the door, we are talking about a sleeper who can win weeks.
In fantasy, surprises don’t warn… but this rookie has already made it clear that he knows how to break scripts.
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