Bucs WR Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions, which landed him on IR, where he’s remained since Week 7. However, Tampa Bay opened up Evans’ 21-day window last week, gearing him up for his eventual return to the field.
The Bucs, who are just 2-4 over their last six games, have missed Evans’ presence on the field — scoring just 20.8 PPG over that span. Tampa Bay is coming off a disappointing 24-20 loss to the Saints and now sits tied with the Panthers at 7-6 atop the NFC South.
With Tampa Bay still fighting for a playoff spot, Evans could return to the lineup this week. Let’s check the latest on his status and how his comeback might impact his PrizePicks projections and the Bucs’ fantasy outlook
Mike Evans Injury Update: Will Bucs WR Play on TNF?
Evans has progressed faster than expected from his collarbone injury, practicing on a limited basis in the week leading up to Thursday's game. Head coach Todd Bowles said the veteran “...has shown everything he needed to show in practice to get activated and make his return Thursday.”
The future Hall of Famer would be a huge boost to a Bucs offense that averaged just 15.6 PPG over their last three outings. With a must-win game looming against their divisional rivals, Evans will push to be available and help Tampa Bay chase a Week 15 win.
Buccaneers' Fantasy Football Outlook
Without Evans, Tampa Bay’s receiving corps has struggled mightily. Their standout rookie WR Emeka Egbuka — who came out of the gate hot with 40 receptions for 677 yards and 6 TDs in his first nine games — has cooled down over his last four outings, hauling in just 14 receptions for 129 yards.
However, the Bucs did get WR Chris Godwin back from injury, but the eighth-year man has yet to make a meaningful impact — just 10 receptions for 142 yards and 14.2 fantasy points in three games — after being eased into the lineup. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield stands to benefit most from Evans’ return — he’s topped 200 passing yards and 2 TDs just once since Week 7.
If Evans returns Thursday against Atlanta, Tampa Bay’s WR depth could look like:
- WR1 - Mike Evans
- WR2 - Emeka Egbuka
- WR3 - Chris Godwin
- WR4 - Jalen McMillan
With Evans trending toward playing, the Bucs could look to get him involved early to jump-start a struggling offense on a short week.
Mike Evans PrizePicks Projections vs. Falcons
These projections come to you courtesy of the PrizePicks NFL board — pick your players, predict whether they will have More or Less on their stats, and win real cash if your picks hit.
- 0.5 Rec + Rush TDs (Demon)
- 52.5 Receiving Yards
- 3.5 Receptions (Goblin)
- 22.5 Yards for Longest Reception
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