2026 Week 7 Fantasy Football: Bucky Irving Returns to Practice, Emeka Egbuka Still Out

According to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), Bucky Irving returned to a limited practice Thursday after missing Wednesday with an illness, and Emeka Egbuka missed a second straight practice due to a concussion and foot injury. The two situations point in opposite directions heading into Week 7 against the Panthers.

Bucky Irving

Irving's path back looks encouraging. Missing Wednesday with illness and then returning limited on Thursday is a pretty routine illness arc. ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports) also notes Baker Mayfield is trending toward playing, which matters: Irving's value is tied directly to that offense functioning. If he suits up and Mayfield plays, fire him up with confidence. He remains questionable, so check Friday's injury report before locking in your lineup.

Emeka Egbuka

Two straight missed practices with a concussion is a real problem. Clearing concussion protocol requires a multi-step progression, and there's essentially no runway left before Sunday. ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports) says it'll be "difficult for him to clear" in time — that's the polite way of saying plan as if he's out. Find a replacement now, not Saturday night.

The connection between these two updates is worth flagging: if Egbuka is indeed out, the Bucs' passing game concentrates elsewhere. That's a mild positive for whoever steps into the WR room, but the bigger beneficiary of Mayfield returning healthy is Irving himself — a functional QB makes the whole Tampa Bay offense easier to trust.