Mike Evans Fantasy: Start or Sit Buccaneers WR in Week 6?

Getty Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans has been a fantasy football disappointment for the majority of the 2019 season. Has the one-time must-start fantasy star become nothing more than a bench spot occupier for your team moving forward?

Or will the talented pass catcher remind us what made him a once-dominating target for Jameis Winston in the Bucs aerial attack?

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Mike Evans’ Fantasy Outlook vs. Carolina Panthers

Despite his ups and downs this season, Evans still ranks within the top 14 scorers at his position through the first five weeks of the season. However, the reasoning for his placement amongst other bonafide fantasy starters is due to a single monster performance. Evans scored 45 of his 78.8 fantasy points this year in one outing against the New York Giants back in Week 3.

In Evans’ four other contests this season, he’s averaged just 8.45 fantasy points, including a goose egg just one week ago. While Evans has dropped off from a once-elite fantasy option, his fellow running mate at wideout Chris Godwin has become fantasy gold this season, while leapfrogging Evans in the pecking order for the Bucs passing game. Godwin leads all wideouts this season with an average of 24 PPR points per game.

Besides Godwin, Tampa Bay has had consistent issues with incorporating their talented playmakers on a regular basis this season. Evans, Ronald Jones, and OJ Howard have all had at least two games in 2019 with less than double-digit fantasy points. Still, if there was any player the Buccaneers would want to get going in London on Sunday it would be Evans.

Quarterback Jameis Winston put it best when discussing the importance of getting Evans involved moving forward with the Tampa Bay Times.

“Bottom line, to win football games, we’ve got to get Mike Evans the ball…I think [it’s on] everybody, me, the coaches. I think everybody can help get him more involved, get him the football. We’ve just got to get him the ball. There’s nothing much else to say to it.”

A matchup with the Carolina Panthers in Week 6 could be just what the doctor ordered for Evans’ fantasy value. The Panthers have been susceptible to being beaten on the backend of late, most notably one week ago. Jaguars wideout DJ Chark racked up 32+ fantasy points vs. Carolina, while fellow wideout DeDe Westbrook was able to accumulate 11+ points himself. The Panthers have surrendered the 13th most fantasy points to the wideout position this season.


Should You Start or Sit Mike Evans in Week 6?

Chris Godwin is undoubtedly the wideout to own in Tampa Bay. However, expect the Bucs to make a conscious effort to get Evans involved early and often on Sunday.

You may have drafted Evans to be your WR1 this season, a decision that has not panned out thus far. Yet for Week 6 you should feel comfortable rolling him out as a WR2 in all formats. Evans, coming off a zero-point outing in Week 5, has not had back-to-back non double-digit scoring performances since Week 9 and 10 of the 2018 season.

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