Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) looks on before the game against the Atlanta Falcons Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Buccaneers reveal playing status for standout rookie Emeka Egbuka

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 5:36 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was expected to miss some time after tweaking his hamstring against the San Francisco 49ers, but Saturday brought the possibility that he could play against the Detroit Lions on Monday night after practicing that day.

Now, we know for sure, and it's game on. Per the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud, Egbuka is indeed set to play. Egbuka was set to see how he felt after a pre-game warmup, and it went well — as a result, he's active for the Buccaneers and set to face off against the Lions.

Egbuka's addition is huge for the Buccaneers

Egbuka being in the lineup is good for one obvious reason — with his route-running and work in space, he's arguably Tampa Bay's best wideout, even in his rookie season. But there's another huge benefit, as Detroit's secondary is absolutely ravaged against the Buccaneers.

The Lions are missing a whopping six starting defensive backs on Monday, with five injured and one, safety Brian Branch, suspended for a game. Egbuka will join with wideout Mike Evans, who returns to the lineup after a four-game absence due to a hamstring injury of his own, and the two will have the opportunity to throttle a very injured Lions secondary at Ford Field.

Egbuka's rookie year has been stellar so far, and he's making a great argument to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. He currently boasts 469 yards and five touchdowns on 27 receptions, and without missing a game due to his hamstring injury, he could continue to build his case as the NFL's leading offensive rookie.

Egbuka played football at Ohio State, so he's plenty used to facing off against football teams from Michigan. He'll have a good chance to do some more damage in the state when the Bucs and Lions play at 7 p.m. on Monday night.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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