MIKE EVANS NEWS

NFL players take leading role on social justice front

Many NFL players have been leaders on the social justice front, and some of them are being considered for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award

DECEMBER 22, 2020 • Associated Press

Eclipses century mark in win Evans secured six of seven targets for 110 yards in the Buccaneers' 31-27 win over the Falcons on Sunday.

Impact Evans was the only one of the top receiving trio of himself, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown to not find the end zone, but he led the team's pass catchers in receptions and receiving yardage while tying for the lead in targets. The multi-time Pro Bowler had last crossed the 100-yard mark back in Week 4, so the boost in production was especially timely for fantasy managers and atoned for Evans' second straight game without a touchdown grab. Evans will look to stay hot in a favorable Week 16 matchup versus the Lions on Saturday afternoon.

DECEMBER 20, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

The NFL's Most Puzzling Duo

We're still trying to figure out if Bruce Arians is Tom Brady’s greatest supporter or his biggest critic, writes Martin Rogers.

DECEMBER 18, 2020 • FOX SPORTS

Saints' Kamara, Titans' Brown among best bets to score

It’s Week 15 of the fantasy football season, and these are the top five best bets to score at the running back and wide receiver positions

DECEMBER 16, 2020 • Associated Press

Leads team with modest numbers Evans brought in three of five targets for 56 yards in the Buccaneers' 26-14 win over the Vikings on Sunday.

Impact Evans' relatively modest receiving yardage tally nevertheless led the Buccaneers on an afternoon in which Tom Brady put the ball up just 23 times. The multi-time Pro Bowler also tied Antonio Brown for the team lead in targets and showed no ill effects from the hamstring issue that plagued him during the practice week. Evans now has failed to exceed Sunday's yardage total in three straight games, a dubious streak he'll look to put behind him versus the vulnerable Falcons secondary Week 15.

DECEMBER 13, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Cleared to play Evans (hamstring) doesn't have an injury designation for Monday's game against the Vikings, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Impact Evans was a limited practice participant Wednesday and a non-participant Thursday, before upgrading to full to finish out the week. Coach Bruce Arians said the wideout looked good in Friday's practice and is ready to play in Sunday's game against the Vikings.

DECEMBER 11, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Looks good in return to practice Coach Bruce Arians said Evans (hamstring) is "fine" and looked good at Friday's practice, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Impact Evans might still be listed on the final injury report, but it sounds like the Bucs expect him to play. Fantasy owners should still keep an eye on the situation, as Evans has a history of hamstring injuries and was held out from Thursday's practice.

DECEMBER 11, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Spotted at Friday's practice Evans (hamstring) was spotted on the practice field with a helmet Friday, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Impact The 27-year-old was unable to practice Thursday, but it appears he'll be participating at Friday's session in some capacity. Evans may need to put in a full practice to avoid an injury designation for Sunday's matchup with the Vikings. Fellow wideout Chris Godwin (finger) also sat out practice to begin the week, but he had no limitations at Thursday's session.

DECEMBER 11, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Held out of practice Thursday Evans (hamstring) was a non-participant at Thursday's practice.

Impact While Evans downgraded from limited to DNP through two injury reports, fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin (finger) went from no activity Wednesday to a full session Thursday. Prior to this week, Evans had put together a lengthy spell without any injury concerns, so his status this week is of particular interest for the rest of the Buccaneers' receiving corps. Friday's practice report could provide some clarity for Evans' situation.

DECEMBER 10, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Puts in limited showing Wednesday Evans (hamstring) was limited at practice Wednesday.

Impact Evans was plagued by injuries early this season, but he avoided any limitations on his practice reps since Week 7, a span of five weeks of prep before the Buccaneers' recent bye. On the heels of that respite, he's dealing with a hamstring issue, while fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin (finger) didn't take part at all Wednesday. The pair will look to ditch their designations ahead of Sunday's contest against the Vikings.

DECEMBER 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Buccaneers confident they will rebound, finish season strong

Bruce Arians never promised it would be easy to transform the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into championship contenders

DECEMBER 4, 2020 • Associated Press

Pair of scores in loss Evans hauled in three of nine targets for 50 yards and two touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 27-24 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.

Impact Evans certainly made the most of his handful of receptions, and he even fought through what appeared to be an ankle issue that caused him to limp off for a play in the second half. The big wideout's connection with Tom Brady wasn't operating on all cylinders, however, as evidenced by both his poor catch rate and the fact Brady's second interception of the day came on a pass intended for Evans in which there appeared to be some degree of miscommunication. Nevertheless, fantasy managers walked away pleased with the pair of end-zone trips, which extended Evans' scoring streak to three games and left the seven-year veteran just one touchdown away from equaling the career-high 12 he's notched in two other seasons. Evans will look to carry over his momentum into a Week 14 battle against the Vikings after resting up over the Buccaneers' Week 13 bye.

NOVEMBER 30, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Bucs puzzled by inconsistency against playoff contenders

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are searching for answers for their inconsistency

NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • Associated Press

Scores despite tough matchup Evans caught five of nine targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 27-24 loss to the Rams.

Impact Evans showed great power and determination as he took a short pass and dragged two opponents into the end zone for a nine-yard score to start the second quarter. That play came on one of the rare occasions Evans didn't draw coverage from opposing cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who he battled with all evening. Despite the tough matchup, Evans held his own and caused a couple pass interference calls on Ramsey in the first half. More importantly, he built his touchdown tally to nine this season, compensating for another game with only decent yardage. Next up for Evans is what could be a high-scoring encounter with the Chiefs this Sunday.

NOVEMBER 24, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Buccaneers looking to solve prime-time woes against Rams

Bruce Arians doesn’t mince words or offer excuses when he talks about Tampa Bay’s struggles in prime-time games this season

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 • Associated Press

Finds end zone in win Evans brought in six of 11 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Buccaneers' 46-23 win over the Panthers on Sunday.

Impact Evans led the team in targets while checking in second in receiving yards, recording his touchdown on a leaping three-yard grab in the back of the end zone just before halftime to erase a 17-10 deficit. The towering wideout was also close to a second score but was overthrown by Tom Brady, yet his overall performance was certainly encouraging considering the amount of attention he garnered from the future Hall of Fame quarterback despite Antonio Brown's active status. Evans' catch total qualified as his highest since Week 4, and he'll look to carry over the momentum into a Week 11 Monday night battle versus the Rams.

NOVEMBER 15, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

The Latest: Quarterbacks drafted No. 1 shine around NFL

From Kyler Murray magic to Alex Smith’s latest milestone, it was quite the day for quarterbacks selected first in the NFL draft

NOVEMBER 15, 2020 • Associated Press

Avoids injury, but not defeat Evans had four receptions (six targets) for 64 yards in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Saints. He appeared to tweak his groin in the third quarter, but promptly returned to the field on...

Impact Once the injury scare was out of the way, fantasy managers could turn their disappointment Evans' production on the field. The blame can't be placed entirely on the star wideout, as he didn't see a target until the second half despite the Buccaneers playing from behind for the entire contest. Evans ended up leading the team in receiving yards on a night to forget for Tom Brady and the entire Tampa Bay offense. The Bucs' aerial attack will look to get back on track in a favorable matchup against the Panthers on Sunday.

NOVEMBER 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Another touchdown in win Evans caught five of seven targets for 55 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 25-23 win over the Giants.

Impact Evans continued his touchdown tear, making an excellent grab from eight yards out to give Tampa Bay the lead to start the fourth quarter. The wideout has now scored seven times this season, flexing his muscles when in the red zone and putting him on pace for a new career high in the category. Although Evans' yardage totals haven't reached those of prior years with the same consistency, he remains a weekly threat due to his regular involvement and scoring punch. Whether or not teammate Chris Godwin (finger) returns and/or Antonio Brown enters the fold in Week 9 versus the Saints, Evans should be a strong play in that NFC South primetime showdown.

NOVEMBER 3, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Bounce-back week in store? Evans could be set for a resurgent Week 8 performance Monday night against the Giants with Chris Godwin (finger) ruled out for the contest.

Impact Jenna Laine of ESPN.com confirms Godwin fractured his index finger on his fourth-quarter touchdown reception in Sunday's win over the Raiders and will be forced to miss Week 8 at minimum. Evans has logged just four targets combined over the last pair of contests as he struggles to overcome a lingering ankle injury, but the combination of Godwin's absence and the extra day to heal up ahead of the Week 8 contest should leave him poised for a boost in opportunity and production. In the three games Godwin has already missed this season due to a concussion and a hamstring injury, Evans has notably eclipsed 100 yards receiving in two of them and logged a combined 27 targets overall.

OCTOBER 28, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles in Week 7 win Evans secured both of his targets for 37 yards in the Buccaneers' 45-20 win over the Raiders on Sunday.

Impact By the end of the practice week, Evans had shed the injury designation he'd been carrying due to an ankle issue, but he isn't 100 percent by all accounts and continued to struggle getting open in Sunday's victory. Evans' target count lagged significantly behind that of fellow wideouts Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller, who logged nine looks apiece. The multi-time Pro Bowler has a combined 3-47 line over the past two games on four total targets, and he's also interspersed a pair of two-yard tallies among a couple of 100-yard efforts thus far this season. The impending arrival of Antonio Brown (suspension), who's slated to make his debut Week 9, now looms large over the fantasy fortunes of other members of the Buccaneers pass-catching corps, and given Evans is already trending in the wrong direction, he'll particularly be a player to monitor in a Week 8 Monday night battle against the Giants.

OCTOBER 26, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Ready for Sunday Evans (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Raiders.

Impact Evans even closed out the week as a full practice participant for the first time since Oct. 2. He's seen only 10 targets in the three games where both he and Chris Godwin have been active, but the Bucs shouldn't have too much trouble finding a way to keep both wide receivers regularly involved. The 6-foot-5 Evans has been living off touchdowns this year, scoring on six of his 23 receptions.

OCTOBER 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Maintains limited practice activity Evans (ankle) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

Impact Both Evans and Chris Godwin (hamstring) have now had their reps capped in consecutive practices to begin Week 7, but head coach Bruce Arians hasn't suggested that either receiver is in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game against the Raiders. After scoring at least one touchdown in each of the Buccaneers' first five games, Evans' streak came to an end in last week's 38-10 win over the Packers while Arians leaned on a run-heavy attack in the blowout. He finished the day with just two targets across his 51 offensive snaps, managing one 10-yard reception.

OCTOBER 22, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Begins week as limited Evans (ankle) was listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report.

Impact Evans followed a DNP/LP/LP practice breakdown last week, so kicking off Week 7 preparations with a limited session indicates he's further removed from the right ankle sprain that he picked up Week 4. Still, his status will be watched closely to ensure he's available for Sunday's visit to Las Vegas.

OCTOBER 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

TD streak ends Sunday Evans caught one of two targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 38-10 win over the Packers.

Impact The two targets were a season low for Evans, and it's the first time all year he hasn't been able to haul in a TD, though it was the third time in six games he's been held to 10 yards or fewer. The game script did him no favors, as the Bucs' defense dominated the action, but it was still worrisome that all three of those low yardage totals have come in the three games Chris Godwin was healthy enough to play. Tom Brady will get another chance to make both his star receivers productive at the same time in Week 7's road clash with the Raiders.

OCTOBER 19, 2020 • ROTOWIRE