Mike Evans scored a touchdown in each of his first three games this season, but he suffered an injury on Sunday. What happened to the veteran Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver in Week 4, and what’s his status for the rest of today’s game?
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Mike Evans Injury Update
Evans suffered a hamstring injury during today’s NFC South showdown against the New Orleans Saints, although it’s unclear exactly when he suffered the injury.
While the Buccaneers initially labeled Evans as questionable to return, they downgraded him to “out” in the third quarter.
Update: Mike Evans has been downgraded to OUT for the remainder of today's game. https://t.co/pTBrVYdysW
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) October 1, 2023
After the Buccaneers’ win, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters that Evans had “tweaked” his hamstring and would undergo tests. Jenna Laine of ESPN reported Evans left the stadium with a “mild but not significant limp.”
On Monday, NFL Network confirmed that Evans’ hamstring issue is believed to be minor. Tampa Bay has a bye in Week 5, giving Evans time to recover.
Evans had posted three receptions for a team-leading 40 yards during today’s game. He’d put up 17 catches for 297 yards and three scores during the Bucs’ first three contests.
With Evans sidelined, Chris Godwin will become Tampa Bay’s clear WR1. Meanwhile, Deven Thompkins and third-round rookie Trey Palmer should also see increased targets with Evans out.
Evans is one of the more consistent receivers in NFL history, having topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first nine pro seasons. He’s typically reliable from a health standpoint, as he’s missed just one game due to injury since 2020.
Fantasy Fallout From Evans’ Injury
It’s currently unknown at the time of writing just how much time Evans is expected to miss, but if the veteran WR is forced to miss significant time with this hamstring injury, it’ll obviously hit a lot of fantasy lineups hard.
Godwin will obviously see a tick up in rankings if Evans misses Tampa Bay’s next game against the Detroit Lions. We shouldn’t overreact too much, though, due to the fact the Bucs are on their bye week in Week 5, so this could give Evans the time needed to rest up and recover.
Palmer would be a stash off of the waiver wire if it comes out that this is a severe injury for Evans. However, we hope that Evans will be right back on the field as quickly as possible.
— PFN Fantasy Director Kyle Yates