The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, but they’ll be without their two best offensive weapons: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
The star wide receivers are both injured, so the Buccaneers will be shorthanded heading into Arrowhead Stadium. Let’s examine what happened to Evans, how long he’ll be out, and who might step up in his place.
What Is Mike Evans’ Injury?
The last time the Buccaneers played a Monday Night Football game, it was a rough evening for Tampa Bay. Entering their Week 7 game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Bucs looked like a playoff team with a chance to compete for the NFC South crown.
However, both Godwin and Evans suffered serious injuries that night, which completely changed the course of the Buccaneers’ season. While Godwin’s gruesome dislocated ankle received the most attention that night since it was a season-ending injury, Evans injured his hamstring in the first half and did not return.
Evans scored a 25-yard touchdown early in the game and seemed fine. However, on his third target of the game, Evans dropped a 24-yard touchdown pass and was immediately in a lot of pain.
#MikeEvans @Buccaneers
Aggravates hamstring and drops 2nd TD pass
Too locker room and likely done
Both WR1 #BALvsTB injured pic.twitter.com/8b3rkbD5eh— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) October 22, 2024
Evans initially hurt his hamstring the week before when the Bucs blew out the New Orleans Saints. He missed two practices before the Ravens game, but he was able to get in a limited practice two days before the game, and the team felt he was good to go for MNF.
Evans is one of the most durable players in the NFL, so it’s somewhat surprising to see him suffer a multi-week injury. Prior to this hamstring injury, he had more 1,000-yard seasons (10) than missed games (nine) throughout his career — and several of those missed contests were due to suspensions.
When Will Evans Return From Injury?
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said that Evans would likely be out through the Bucs’ Week 11 bye week, which means the soonest we’ll see him back on the field is probably Week 12 against the New York Giants.
It’s worth noting that the Buccaneers didn’t put Evans on injured reserve, suggesting they don’t expect him to miss four games.
Unfortunately, this hamstring injury might end Evans’ streak of 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons — the longest streak to open a career in NFL history — as he only has 335 receiving yards so far this year.
If he returns in Week 12, he’ll need to average 95 yards per game over the final seven contests to hit 1,000 yards. He should see a ton of targets with Godwin out, so it’s possible, but it will be tougher than most years throughout Evans’ career.
Who Will Step Up in Evans and Godwin’s Absence?
The Bucs are missing their top two wide receivers, who accounted for 49% of their receiving yards this season prior to getting injured.
Unfortunately, Tampa Bay’s horrible injury luck continued this week, as wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard are both dealing with hamstring injuries of their own and are questionable for Monday’s game against the Chiefs. Also, rookie Kameron Johnson is on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
So, if the Bucs are potentially down five wideouts, who’s left on their depth chart?
But if McMillan and Shepard are both out, the Bucs will have to lean on Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett, and Ryan Miller (a practice squad call-up). Tampa Bay’s wide receiver room is depleted, so they really need McMillan and/or Shepard to play.
However, if last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons is any indication, the Bucs will lean on tight end Cade Otton and running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White in the passing game.
Last week, Otton led the team in targets (10), receptions (nine), receiving yards (81), and receiving touchdowns (two). The Chiefs are allowing the most yards (80.8) and receptions (7.0) to tight ends of any team in the NFL, so expect Otton to be very involved once again.
Meanwhile, Irving and White combined for 12 catches (on 13 targets) for 78 yards and a touchdown through the air in Week 8.
Of the receivers, Jarrett had the most yards (58) and McMillan had the most receptions (four) in Week 8.
The Bucs are excited about McMillan, a third-rounder (No. 92) out of Washington who had a really strong camp and preseason. However, he’s still developing and is a work in progress.