Week 7 at Washington
Mike Evans hasn't quite turned out to be the receiver we'd thought. After a 1,000-yard rookie campaign, Evans is on pace for less than 700 yards. He had a hamstring injury to start the season, but is not listed on the team's injury report anymore.
Evans gets a decent matchup this week against the Redskins. Washington has had some shutdown games in the past, but they've also allowed some big performances. Evans should be viewed as a WR2 this week.
Week 5 vs. Jacksonville
Mike Evans wasn't very effective in Week 4, as Vincent Jackson received most of the love. Evans finished with three receptions for 32 yards on eight targets. To be fair, Evans faced one of the league's toughest cornerbacks in Josh Norman. Evans should have more success this week against a Jaguars defense that isn't as strong as Carolina's. He's not an elite option, but he'll be a solid WR2 this week.
Week 4 vs. Carolina
Mike Evans finally showed up last week as he finished with seven receptions for 101 yards. It was the first time he produced a solid stat line all season after missing Week 1 and doing nothing in Week 2.
Evans is a special talent and will continue to be a threat for big numbers. This week, however, he may struggle against a tough Panthers secondary. Last year against Carolina, Evans put up his two lowest yardage totals. Evans' potential gives him value, but he should be viewed as a low-end WR2 this week.
Week 3 at Houston
Good news: Mike Evans returned in Week 2 from his injury. Bad news: He didn't catch a pass. He did receive three targets, but a goose egg won't get him any love in the fantasy world. Evans came into the season as a possible top-10 receiver, but there is now some doubt as to how productive he really can be. The Bucs wideout should be viewed as a low-end WR2 or WR3 with high upside against Houston.
Week 2 vs. New Orleans
Mike Evans should be back in the lineup this week, and he'll get a strong matchup to show off his skills. His presence was missed in Week 1 as the other receivers for Tampa Bay struggled to do anything. His injury still makes us cautious, but Evans should be viewed as a low-end WR2 against the Saints.
Week 1 vs. Tennessee
Mike Evans was one of the best rookie wideouts last year and will pick up where he left off. Assuming he plays. Evans didn't practice until Friday this week and is questionable to start against the Titans. Judging from Lovie Smith's comments he figures to be a true game-time decision.
Under the assumption he plays, Evans should be viewed as a strong WR2 against Tennessee. It's not a great matchup — but it isn't a tough one, either. Evans should be able to find success like he did a year ago.
Fantasy Upside
Mike Evans broke out as a rookie last season, finishing with 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns. He did so despite having poor quarterback play in Josh McCown and Mike Glennon. This year he has No. 1 draft pick Jameis Winston throwing him the ball, he has a full year of experience under his belt and he has a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter. There's a lot to like about Evans as he heads into his second year.
Fantasy Downside
Is Evans headed toward a sophomore slump? We've seen it before where a wideout has a lot of success in his first season and then fails to live up to expectations the next year. There has been a lot of change in Tampa over the last year, so it's possible Evans doesn't adapt well.
Bottom Line
While there has been a lot of change, a lot of it is for the better. Koetter's system should favor Evans, and a new quarterback should give him a higher rate of catching passes thrown his direction. Evans showed a lot of promise last season, and there is still room for him to improve. He should be viewed as a WR1.
Mike Evans - Week 17 vs. New Orleans
Mike Evans can only do so much. His numbers have faltered lately due to the play of quarterback Josh McCown. Evans hasn't surpassed 50 receiving yards in any of his last five games. He has four touchdowns in that span, but you can't always expect an end zone visit.
This week he gets a favorable matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Evans missed the early season matchup with an injury.
Considering how explosive Evans is, it's hard to see him below a WR1.
Mike Evans - Week 16 vs. Green Bay
Mike Evans had his worst game of the season last week. He caught just two of his eight targets for 13 yards. That performance set a new season (and career) low in receptions and yards. He did catch his ninth touchdown in seven games, but his giant slip in production is a bit concerning.
This week Evans gets a favorable matchup against the Packers. When teams face Green Bay they often end in shootouts in order to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers and company. If Tampa Bay gets into a shootout with Green Bay, you can expect plenty of targets heading towards Evans.
The rookie has a strong chance to score and should be viewed as a WR1 option.
Mike Evans - Week 15 vs. Carolina Panthers
Mike Evans only caught four passes last week against Detroit, but two of them went for touchdowns. He now has three two-touchdown games in the last six weeks. If he was able to have a good game in a tough matchup against the Lions, then he should be able to have a good game in a better matchup against Carolina.
When Evans played the Panthers earlier this season he caught five passes for 37 yards. But his role has increased significantly since.
Evans should be viewed as a borderline WR1 this week. He'll get plenty of looks (at least nine targets in each of his last six games) and has a great chance to find the endzone.
