Who Should I Start? Emeka Egbuka or Isaiah Bond

Monday, September 22, 1:12 PM

When asked if Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is a potential Rookie of the Year candidate in 2025, head coach Todd Bowles said, "Right now, we don't even consider him a rookie." Egbuka was the talk of training camp this summer, and he's carried it over into the first regular-season games of his NFL career, catching 14 of his 21 targets for 181 yards and three touchdowns as the WR2 with Chris Godwin (ankle) still out. The Ohio State product had three touchdowns in his first two games and then set season highs in catches (six), targets (eight), and receiving yards (85) in the Week 3 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. Egbuka will have more competition for targets when Godwin returns (possibly in Week 4), but the rookie will remain a big part of the passing attack all year long. He has quickly become a must-start in all fantasy leagues.

Thursday, September 18, 11:44 AM

Despite his lack of involvement early on, ESPN's Dan Graziano notes that Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has the potential to be a second-half breakout candidate in the 2025 season. Bond got a late start after dealing with sexual assault charges that were eventually dropped, so he's a bit further behind your typical rookie wideout at this point in their career. Any time missed in the early portion of a player's tenure could set them back, but the former Texas Longhorn has seemingly already surpassed second-year receiver Jamari Thrash in the Browns' WR room. Cleveland's dearth of skill players could leave him with a low target floor on a weekly basis, though Bond boasts the most speed of the group. Expect things to be in flux for the Browns at some point, but Bond is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues and is an excellent stash in dynasty formats.