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Every year in the NFL, several players emphatically announce their arrival to the rest of the league.
Some are rookies who find immediate success. Others are veterans who come out of nowhere and have a career season.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are plenty of players who have the potential to break out in 2026.
Rookies Rueben Bain Jr., Josiah Trotter, and Keionte Scott will all be given plenty of opportunities to make names for themselves in the NFL quickly. All will have large roles for the Bucs' defense this year and have the talent to produce immediately.
Entering his fourth season with Tampa, YaYa Diaby has shown the ability to be both a quality pass rusher and run defender. Even after leading the team with seven sacks a year ago, Diaby isn't mentioned in the top tiers of pass rushers. A career season in which he notches double-digit sacks for the first time would certainly qualify as a breakout season, just in time for free agency.
Ben Solak of ESPN was tasked with picking one breakout candidate for each of the NFL's 32 teams. For the Bucs, Solak did not choose Diaby or any of the rookies. Instead, he made a surprising choice, selecting wide receiver Jalen McMillan as the Bucs' breakout candidate for 2026.
McMillan has already tasted a bit of success in the NFL. As a rookie in 2024, he was inserted into Tampa's WR2 role after Chris Godwin Jr. was injured. McMillan went on a heater to end the season, and many believed he would build on that success in 2025.
A scary neck injury in the preseason cost McMillan almost all of his sophomore campaign, preventing him from becoming a household name. Now healthy, and with Mike Evans gone, Solak believes he will take advantage of the increased opportunities.
"I have not been shy about my lofty expectations for second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who I think can lead the league in receptions with coordinator Zac Robinson now calling the plays. But Egbuka was splitting No. 3 receiver snaps last season with McMillan, who is an impressive receiver in his own right.
"McMillan, like Egbuka, saw most of his rookie season limited by hamstring issues. And McMillan's 2025 sophomore season was also almost nonexistent because of a preseason neck injury.
"If McMillan can stay on the field, he is the best candidate for outside receiver snaps. And he has the large radius and spectacular catch ability that the Bucs need following the departure of Mike Evans. Chris Godwin Jr. won't fall out of the lineup entirely -- he's too reliable -- but McMillan brings enough juice as a run blocker to eat into those snaps, too."
McMillan is an excellent choice to be Tampa's breakout player in 2026. He has already proven he can succeed and has an established connection with Baker Mayfield.
Even if Egbuka and Godwin Jr. are above him on the depth chart, McMillan should still get plenty of chances to show what he can do this season. He is the favorite to be the Bucs' WR3, and could see an even larger role if Godwin suffers another injury.
McMillan is capable of big things in 2026, and his return to full health is great news for Tampa's offense.
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Some are rookies who find immediate success. Others are veterans who come out of nowhere and have a career season.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are plenty of players who have the potential to break out in 2026.
Rookies Rueben Bain Jr., Josiah Trotter, and Keionte Scott will all be given plenty of opportunities to make names for themselves in the NFL quickly. All will have large roles for the Bucs' defense this year and have the talent to produce immediately.
Entering his fourth season with Tampa, YaYa Diaby has shown the ability to be both a quality pass rusher and run defender. Even after leading the team with seven sacks a year ago, Diaby isn't mentioned in the top tiers of pass rushers. A career season in which he notches double-digit sacks for the first time would certainly qualify as a breakout season, just in time for free agency.
Ben Solak of ESPN was tasked with picking one breakout candidate for each of the NFL's 32 teams. For the Bucs, Solak did not choose Diaby or any of the rookies. Instead, he made a surprising choice, selecting wide receiver Jalen McMillan as the Bucs' breakout candidate for 2026.
Why Solak Chose McMillan
McMillan has already tasted a bit of success in the NFL. As a rookie in 2024, he was inserted into Tampa's WR2 role after Chris Godwin Jr. was injured. McMillan went on a heater to end the season, and many believed he would build on that success in 2025.
A scary neck injury in the preseason cost McMillan almost all of his sophomore campaign, preventing him from becoming a household name. Now healthy, and with Mike Evans gone, Solak believes he will take advantage of the increased opportunities.
"I have not been shy about my lofty expectations for second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who I think can lead the league in receptions with coordinator Zac Robinson now calling the plays. But Egbuka was splitting No. 3 receiver snaps last season with McMillan, who is an impressive receiver in his own right.
"McMillan, like Egbuka, saw most of his rookie season limited by hamstring issues. And McMillan's 2025 sophomore season was also almost nonexistent because of a preseason neck injury.
"If McMillan can stay on the field, he is the best candidate for outside receiver snaps. And he has the large radius and spectacular catch ability that the Bucs need following the departure of Mike Evans. Chris Godwin Jr. won't fall out of the lineup entirely -- he's too reliable -- but McMillan brings enough juice as a run blocker to eat into those snaps, too."
Final Thoughts
McMillan is an excellent choice to be Tampa's breakout player in 2026. He has already proven he can succeed and has an established connection with Baker Mayfield.
Even if Egbuka and Godwin Jr. are above him on the depth chart, McMillan should still get plenty of chances to show what he can do this season. He is the favorite to be the Bucs' WR3, and could see an even larger role if Godwin suffers another injury.
McMillan is capable of big things in 2026, and his return to full health is great news for Tampa's offense.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected
Continue reading...
