TedHurst III

News: 16 hours agoOffensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Thursday that Hurst has continued to ascend week after week while adjusting well to the NFL, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Spin: Hurst is likely to begin his career in a depth role, though the rookie third-round pick out of Georgia State could see some involvement on offense out of the gate, especially if Jalen McMillan (knee) isn't cleared to face the Bengals in Week 1. McMillan practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, while Emeka Egbuka practiced fully after dealing with a recent toe injury. Egbuka and Chris Godwin figure to get most of the targets among Tampa Bay's wide receivers, though the 6-foot-3 Hurst showed the ability to stretch the field in college and may not need heavy volume to make an impact.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Hurst was selected by the Buccaneers in the third round of April's draft. Granted he played at a small school, but Hurst ranked third in this rookie class target share (26%) and first in air yard share (45%) during his FBS career. A tall, vertical receiver, Hurst posted solid collegiate efficiency despite inconsistent QB play (only 68% of his 235 FBS targets were catchable, which is easily lowest among qualified WRs in this class). His 135-inch broad jump was best among wide receivers at the combine. Hurst will get some run at 'X' receiver as a rookie, but he's a longshot for consistent rookie-season fantasy production with Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan in the fold.