The engine to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers passing offense in 2023 has been veteran WR Mike Evans, who is looking for his 10th straight 1,000-yard receiving season of his storied career. Unfortunately, he popped on the Bucs’ injury report to start the week of practice heading into their matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Let’s take a closer look at the potential fantasy football impact of Evans’ injury to this Buccaneers offensive unit in Week 11.
Latest Injury Update on Mike Evans
Evans has been the clear alpha in the Buccaneers passing attack through the first half of the 2023 season, but his outlook heading into Week 11 has started with a bit of a question mark. According to a recent report from Tom Krasniqi, the Bucs injury report listed Evans as a limited participant for Wednesday’s practice due to a quadriceps injury. The severity of the injury was not detailed by Bucs head coach during his Wednesday press conference.
Editor’s Note: According to a recent report from Scott Smith, Evans was a full participant in Thursday’s practice.
Will Evans Play This Week?
The encouraging sign for Evans’ availability for Sunday is that he managed to get on the practice field in any capacity to start the week, which is noteworthy considering his veteran status with the organization.
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Fantasy managers will ideally want to make sure to monitor his practice participation throughout the week to ensure he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, but as long as he continues to get on the practice field, Evans feels like a good bet to start against the 49ers on Sunday.
What Does This Mean for Chris Godwin’s Fantasy Ranking?
The level of consistency we’ve seen from Evans throughout his NFL career is flirting with Hall of Fame consideration. The sheer fact that the “worst” season of his tenure with the Buccaneers came in the form of a season-long stat line of 71 receptions, 1,001 yards, and five scores speaks to his consistent level of production regardless of who has been under center for Tampa Bay is impressive.
When you realize that the lowest PPR finish of Evans’ career was WR22 back in 2015, you can’t help but appreciate how reliable he’s been as a fantasy asset throughout the years.
Despite losing Tom Brady under center and turning 30 years old this season, Evans is still playing at a low-end WR1 level in 2023. His 43 receptions for 737 yards and six scores in just nine games with Baker Mayfield currently puts him as the WR12 in PPR formats at the moment.
Last week, Evans totaled six receptions, 143 yards, and a score against the Tennessee Titans. However, he picked up a quad injury which makes his status worth monitoring heading into Week 11.
If Evans is able to go against the 49ers, he’s a top-20 play at the WR position against one of the more talented defensive units in the league. However, if he misses, then WR Chris Godwin would see the biggest boost in fantasy value against San Francisco.
Godwin has only scored one touchdown this season, but he’d be a good bet to see double-digit targets if Evans is out of the lineup.
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