Mayfield's 2025 was a rude correction after a career year in 2024. He went from a QB5 finish at 21.5 points per game to QB12 overall but just QB18 on a per-game basis at 16.2 points per game—a drop of over five points per game. The efficiency numbers reflected the decline: 56th percentile in EPA per dropback and 27th percentile in CPOE, a far cry from the guy who threw for 41 touchdowns and carried fantasy rosters two seasons ago. He faded as the year wore on, averaging 17.6 points in the first half and 14.8 in the second, with a pair of sub-5-point clunkers mixed in along the way. Now he loses Mike Evans, his most reliable weapon over the past two seasons, and that's a real concern. The hope is that Chris Godwin's return to full health, Jalen McMillan coming back from his own injury, and Emeka Egbuka can collectively absorb Evans' vacated targets and red-zone presence. That's a lot of "ifs" for a quarterback whose accuracy was already slipping. Cade Otton provides a steady check-down option at tight end, and Mayfield's legs (23.0 rush yards per start) offer a modest floor. The upside is a top-10 finish if the receiving corps gels. The downside is a QB2 with limited ceiling if the Evans-sized hole doesn't get filled. At the cost of a low-end QB2, the risk-reward is palatable, but he's more of a QB2 with upside than a reliable starter.