Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told reporters Friday that WR Mike Evans had a hamstring scare earlier in the week, but is good to go for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Bucs will have their full passing attack available for Sunday's tilt, and Mike Evans should be considered a WR1/high-end WR2.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar wide receiver Mike Evans missed Thursday's practice with a hamstring injury.

This appears to be a new injury as Evans did not appear on the injury report in Week 11 or Week 12. He was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday due to the same injury, so the lack of practice today is certainly concerning. All eyes will be on tomorrow's practice report as fantasy gamers await the Week 14 fate of the talented wide receiver. If he is able to practice on Friday, even in a limited fashion, he will likely be ticketed as questionable with a good chance to play. However, if he fails to practice, he will be highly unlikely for Week 14, even if he gets the game time decision based questionable tag. Evans has experienced monumental growing pains with Tom Brady but is still our 34th ranked receiver for Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings due to his red zone upside.

Bruce Arians said that Mike Evans was open a bunch on Sunday. “He didn’t get targeted. That’s all. Mike was open."

Related players: Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, Tom Brady

Evans was targeted a team-high six times, as were RB Leonard Fournette and Godwin. Brown was targeted five times. Evans led the group with a 4-64-0 line so it sounds like maybe Arians wasn't happy with Brady. There wasn't much positive in the Bucs loss to the Saints on Sunday night.

Lost in the stunning Tampa Bay blowout loss was the fact that Antonio Brown is back.

He’s not all the way back. He caught only three passes for 31 yards on five targets, and he stopped on one route that resulted in an interception. But he was able, after playing only one game in nearly two years, to participate in 39 offensive snaps.

Related players: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin

The story noted that’s more than anyone expected from Brown, who joined the Buccaneers only recently and who first became eligible to practice just five days ago. Brown also had an impressive back-end-of-the-ball catch on a laser from quarterback Tom Brady. It happened well after the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt, but it was a glimpse of what he and the Bucs can do, the story went on to say. Evans and Godwin were each targeted 6 times while Brown had five targets.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported on Sunday that the Buccaneers were “shocked” by Antonio Brown’s physical condition.

Related players: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller

The report said Brown walked through the door ready to go, and the Bucs will be ready to use him right out of the gates. On Sunday night against the Saints, Brown likely will be used in three- and four-receiver sets, the story said. Coach Bruce Arians also hasn’t ruled out using Brown as a return specialist. Moreover, the Buccaneers will want their faith in Brown to be validated. The best way to do that will be to get the ball in his hands and let him do his thing, the story went on to say.

Injury news from the Bucs, WR Chris Godwin fractured his left index and underwent surgery.

Related players: Mike Evans, Scott Miller

Godwin is out for Week 8, as the tweet went on to say. Evans should get a boost with Godwin out, but other reports say Evans and Miller are banged up too. Evans is dealing with a ankle injury and Miller is dealing with a bad hip. For the record, this is why the Bucs say they signed Antonio Brown, but Brown won't play until at least Week 9.

This was the first chance for Bruce Arians and his players to talk about why Brown is coming on board, how a deep, talented offense will handle another option in the passing game, and how a team with real positive momentum can avoid any chemistry problems.

“It’s an insurance policy,” said Arians, who has seen Mike Evans limited by multiple injuries and Chris Godwin miss three games already this season. “When we don’t have Mike, when we don’t have Chris, why not have another Pro Bowl-caliber player that’s available that fits our cap and fits everything else. So why not? We have good players. You can’t have enough of them.”

Related players: Scotty Miller

There wasn't a lot of specifics about how Brown will work into games, but the story did say Miller, who leads the team with 365 receiving yards, would almost certainly see his role diminish with Brown’s addition. The story did add Brown's speed and body type (5-10, 185 pounds) is similar to Miller's (5-11, 174) so it's possible Brown just takes over the role of Miller.