Fantasy Upside
Mike Evans has established himself as one of the best receivers in football with a third straight 1,000-yard season in 2016. Not only did he cross the thousand-yard threshold again, but he set a new career-high in receptions (96), yards (1,321) and tied his high for touchdowns (12). He was an absolute monster last year and finished as the third-highest scoring WR in fantasy (PPR).
Fantasy Downside
A big part of why Evans was able to put up such big numbers last year had to do with the fact he had an NFL-leading 173 targets. That number should drop significantly as the Bucs have added a pair of receiving threats in DeSean Jackson and rookie tight end O.J. Howard. Both players are also threats to take away some of Evans’ big plays.
Despite being a talented pass-catcher, Evans has had some lows as well. He had a three-week stretch last season where he averaged just over 3 catches and 46 yards. He was also tied for third in the league in dropped passes.
2017 Bottom Line
Evans is one of the top talents this season at his position. It wouldn’t be a shock to see some of his overall numbers go down, but he should be more consistent with bigger games all year long due to the addition of Jackson and Howard. He’s a touchdown threat as he’s scored 12 times in two of his three seasons. He’s worthy of being drafted in the first round.