Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie star Jalen McMillan appeared on the injury report on Wednesday with a finger injury, raising questions heading into Sunday night's wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Washington leaders.
The good news arrived quickly for Bucs fans. According to RotoBaller Keith Hernandez, Macmillan He participated fully in Wednesday's training. The rookie receiver's active participation indicates that he will be ready to face the playoffs, barring any setbacks.
McMillan's presence is important to Tampa Bay's offense. The 23-year-old has been on fire over the past five games, hauling in 24 scores for 316 yards and seven touchdowns. His late-season emergence helped propel the Buccaneers to a 6-1 record in their final seven games.
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The Washington product stepped up brilliantly after Chris Godwin's injury in October. McMillan finished his rookie campaign with 37 receptions, 461 yards and eight touchdowns. He scored in five straight games before the playoffs.
Baker Mayfieldwho posted career-best numbers with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, praised McMillan's development.
“The biggest thing for him, that you look for in any rookie, is progression throughout the year, and that's what he did,” Mayfield said Sunday.
Jalen McMillan could be the X-Factor of Tampa Bay's playoff run
Galen McMillanHis influence extends far beyond the stat sheet. 33rd Team's Ian Valentino identified the young receiver as the X-factor for Tampa Bay in the postseason.
“The switch has been flipped at Macmillan,” Valentino wrote on Thursday. “He's been a more prominent feature on offense, and his role in beating New Orleans to win the NFC South championship already capped off a great end to the season… Evans will always be the alpha in Tampa Bay, but McMillan now has Baker Mayfield's confidence.”
Coach Todd Bowles highlighted McMillan's understanding of the offense and growing confidence.
“When guys came down early in the year, he got a chance to get his feet wet and understand where he needed to be on the field from an immediate standpoint,” Bowles said. “The older players have helped him a lot, and he is playing very quickly now.”
The stakes rise dramatically as Tampa Bay prepares to host Washington. These two teams met in Week 1, and the Buccaneers cruised to a 37-20 win. McMillan's development since the season opener adds another dimension to Tampa Bay's passing attack.
McMillan partners with future Hall of Famer Mike Evans It could give Tampa Bay an offensive advantage in upcoming games.
Edited by Krutik Jain
