Ted Hurst III Fantasy Stats

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, potentially eyeing a big-bodied long-term replacement for franchise legend Mike Evans. In recent days, the Buccaneers' receiver depth chart has been thinned by injury, and Hurst has taken advantage of the opportunity to build chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield. With Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan all absent from the team's last practice, and Tez Johnson exiting early with a groin strain, Hurst became Mayfield's go-to target according to team staff writer Brianna Dix, and head coach Todd Bowles spoke on their growing rapport. "Baker trusts him," he said of the rookie. "He knows he goes where he needs to go with the football. Ted was open at the right time, so we know he's got a good vertical, and he's got very good hands." The crowded depth chart in Tampa could still make consistent fantasy viability difficult to come by, but at RotoBaller's dynasty WR72, Hurst is a player well worth stashing with a future that will only be made brighter if he can continue to stack productive days in his first training camp.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield said that rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst is "one of those guys where you can throw the ball up to him and he's probably going to come down with it," according to Pewter Report. The 22-year-old third-rounder from Georgia State has a big opportunity to serve as the team's true X receiver under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson now that future Hall of Famer Mike Evans is out of town. He has the size (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) and the speed (4.42-second 40-yard dash) to be a legitimate downfield weapon for quarterback Baker Mayfield in Tampa sooner rather than later. With that said, the Bucs could ease Hurst into the fold behind Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan in 2026. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues should be stoked if Hurst is on your roster after drawing some comparisons to Texans WR1 Nico Collins. RotoBaller has Hurst ranked just inside the top 100 at the WR position in 2026, but he has the skills and opportunity to rise quickly if an injury strikes Tampa's receiving corps early on.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst has a clear path to becoming the team's next X receiver after 13-year veteran Mike Evans departed for San Francisco in free agency, but with the strength of the receiver room now lending to more quick passing and inside-to-outside versatility, he could still find himself relatively low on the target pecking order. The Buccaneers' passing offense is expected to run through 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka and four-time 1,000-yard veteran Chris Godwin Jr., while Jalen McMillan was one of the standouts of minicamp, and Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell form one of the league's most capable pass-catching running back tandems. While Hurst should eventually carve out an important role, with so many mouths to feed, his development could come along slowly, with his fantasy impact likely to come in unpredictable spurts to begin his career. As such, he still makes for a worthwhile selection in the closing rounds of best ball drafts, but at RotoBaller's WR97, Hurst is unlikely to factor into most 2026 redraft plans.

After recording 71 catches for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns across 12 games at Georgia State in 2025, wide receiver Ted Hurst was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Hurst may not be expected to contribute right away in a Tampa Bay passing game that already features a deep group of wide receivers in Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson. Still, Hurst profiles as a true outside X receiver, which may make him the most logical long-term replacement for former Bucs wideout Mike Evans, who departed the team in free agency. Godwin Jr. and McMillan both battled significant injury issues in 2025, which could be another route for Hurst to find his way onto the field. Dynasty managers should not expect immediate production from Hurst, but he profiles as a worthy stash candidate for rebuilding teams.

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spending a third-round pick on perimeter wide receiver Ted Hurst, he steps into the league with colossal shoes to fill. For the first time since 2013, the Buccaneers will be without six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans, after the 32-year-old wideout signed a three-year deal with the 49ers in free agency. At 6'3" and 206 pounds, Hurst profiles as the most likely player to inherit Evans' X-role on the boundary, but the receiver depth in Tampa runs deep, with a versatile group of pass-catchers capable of playing across the formation. For Hurst to eventually earn an every-down role in two-receiver sets, his most direct competition could come from third-year receiver Jalen McMillan. Reports out of OTAs have suggested that McMillan has put the neck injury that limited him to only four games in 2025 squarely behind him, and he has looked like the best receiver on the field at times. A younger prospect, with the bulk of his collegiate success coming as a downfield ball-winner, Hurst profiles as a boom-or-bust receiver who could struggle to consistently reach his ceiling early in his career, but in a weak draft class, he slots in as RotoBaller's rookie WR12.

After racking up nearly 2,000 receiving yards over his final two collegiate seasons at Georgia State, wide receiver Ted Hurst was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hurst is thought of as a true X receiver, which could make him the long-term replacement for former Bucs wideout Mike Evans. However, Hurst's immediate path to playing time could be blocked off in Tampa Bay. Entering training camp, Buccaneers wide receivers Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson could all be ahead of Hurst on the team's depth chart. If there's a positive for fantasy managers to take away from Hurst landing in Tampa Bay, it's that the organization has done an excellent job of developing young receivers in recent seasons. Hurst carries some upside in dynasty leagues, but dynasty managers should temper their expectations for his 2026 production following the NFL Draft.

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said that rookie third-round wide receiver Ted Hurst is a "true X" receiver, according to Scott Smith of the team's official website. Robinson also said there are "so many things" that he likes about Hurst, who has an exciting skill set and great instincts. The 21-year-old product of Georgia State only played two seasons in college, but he has the size (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) and speed (4.42-second 40-yard dash) to make noise at the next level in an offense that lost future Hall of Famer Mike Evans in free agency. In his two seasons at Georgia State, Hurst caught 127 passes for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns. He will primarily be competing with Jalen McMillan for the WR3 role in 2026 behind Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, but his physical attributes make him a bit more intriguing long-term than McMillan. RotoBaller has Hurst ranked as the No. 73 dynasty pass-catcher, two spots below McMillan.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected Georgia State wide receiver prospect Ted Hurst with the 84th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He contributed during both of his seasons in the Sun Belt Conference, totaling 127 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns. This is more of a developmental selection for the Bucs, as Hurst has a history of drops and may deal with some adversity while adjusting to the NFL style of play. With that said, he has impressive upside in a Bucs offense that loves spreading the ball around to multiple receivers. Presumably, Hurst will have a chance to immediately compete for the No. 4 receiver role behind Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan. He's the overall WR90 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.