Mike Evans Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Evans caught 74 balls for 1,004 yards and 11 scores in 14 games last year. Only three WRs tallied more TDs.

Evans ranked 11th among WRs in PPR points and PPR points per game. And, if we omit Weeks 6 and 7 when he left early with hamstring trouble, he climbs to fourth.

Evans flashed big weekly upside, with six finishes inside the top eight WRs. He failed to crack the top 36 in just three of 14 games.

Usage & Role

Evans totaled 110 targets across his 14 games. His 7.9 targets per game ranked 22nd among WRs. That climbs to 8.4 targets per game, 14th at the position, if we omit Weeks 6 and 7.

Evans was a big factor for the Buccaneers in scoring range, drawing 18 targets in the end zone — tied for second most among WRs. His 27 red-zone targets tied for 18th.

Evans ranked ninth among WRs with 8.8 expected receiving TDs, despite missing three games and parts of two others. His 15.4 expected PPR points per game ranked 12th. And that climbs to 16.1 expected PPR points per game, ninth among WRs, if we omit Weeks 6 and 7.

Evans clearly benefited from WR Chris Godwin’s absence over the second half of the season. Here are Evans’ per-game splits when healthy:

5 healthy games with Godwin:

• 7.2 targets per game
• 23.5% target share
• 14.2 expected PPR points per game

7 healthy games without Godwin:

• 9.3 targets per game
• 28.6% target share
• 17.5 expected PPR points per game

Efficiency Metrics

Evans registered a career-high 67.3% catch rate last year. His 13.6 yards per catch was a career low. That was largely a result of a career-low 11.6-yard average target depth.

The end result, though, was a career-best 2.41 yards per route. That ranked seventh among 84 qualifying WRs. Evans ranked eighth in Pro Football Focus receiving grade and tied for second in Fantasy Points’ Separation Score.

Offensive Context

Evans played in a strong Tampa Bay offense that ranked third in total yards and fourth in points. The Buccaneers ranked sixth in total plays. So, despite a 55.9% pass rate that ranked just 20th, they finished 10th in total pass attempts.

Tampa Bay leaned more on the pass in the red zone, ranking 14th in red-zone pass rate and sixth in red zone pass rate over expected. Evans surely played a big part in that.

Historical Production & Trends

Evans extended his 1,000-yard streak to 11 seasons last year, making a catch late in Week 18 to get over 1,000. His 11 TDs last year also give him double-digit scores in six of 11 seasons, including four of his last five.

Evans has scored 15+ PPR points per game in seven straight seasons and 10 of 11 overall. Here are his finishes in PPR points per game by year:

• 2014 - 14th
• 2015 - 23rd
• 2016 - 3rd
• 2017 - 20th
• 2018 - 10th
• 2019 - 4th
• 2020 - 16th
• 2021 - 12th
• 2022 - 17th
• 2023 - 11th
• 2024 - 11th

Injury History

Evans has missed nine games across 11 NFL seasons with a groin injury and four separate hamstring injuries.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

Evans is entering the final year of his current contract but should remain a big part of Tampa Bay’s offense in 2025.

The target competition will likely be even tougher this year than last, though. WR Chris Godwin is working back from the dislocated left ankle that ended his 2024 season but is tentatively expected to be ready come Week 1. Tampa Bay gave him a new three-year, $66 million deal in March, so there doesn’t seem to be any long-term concern about the ankle.

The Bucs also used the 19th overall pick of this spring’s draft to add WR Emeka Egbuka. Ohio State’s all-time leader in career receiving yards (2,868) is an NFL-ready prospect who figures to surpass and upgrade on WR Jalen McMillan.

Tampa Bay also returns a pair of strong pass-catching RBs in Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, plus TE Cade Otton.

Supporting Cast

QB Baker Mayfield is back under center for the Bucs. He’s coming off career bests last year in:

• Passing yards
• Passing TDs
• Completion rate
• Yards per pass attempt
• Pro Football Focus passing grade

Tampa Bay also returns all five starters from last year’s offensive line, which ranked second in Pro Football Focus run blocking grade and fifth in ESPN pass block win rate.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

Former OC Liam Coen left to take the Jaguars’ HC job this offseason after leading Tampa Bay to top-four finishes in points and total yards last year.

He’ll be replaced by Josh Grizzard, who was the team’s passing game coordinator last year. Grizzard spent the previous seven seasons with the Dolphins, moving from offensive quality control to WRs coach. He has no play-calling experience at any level, but the Bucs are prioritizing continuity after the big 2024 season under Coen.

Production & Efficiency Trends

Evans will play the 2025 season at 32 years old. That’s well past prime for most WRs. Our aging-curve research says to expect 86% of peak production at 32 — down from 90% at 31.

Evans has shown no signs of decline yet, though, posting a career-best in yards per route last year.