Fantasy Upside
Mike Evans is coming off his ninth consecutive season with at least 1,000 receiving yards, an NFL record to start a career. Evans was pretty consistent with his production last season, topping 50 receiving yards in 10 of his 15 games, and 70 yards in seven of his games. He also had at least five receptions in eight games. All of that production had him finish as the fantasy WR16, or WR13 in points per game. Evans has been a pretty reliable option throughout his career, and has some promise heading into 2023.
Fantasy Downside
While Evans did top 1,000 receiving yards last season, he struggled when it came to scoring touchdowns. He did end up scoring six times, but three of those scores came in a single game. In fact, he only scored a touchdown in three total games all season. Evans will also notably be without Tom Brady this season. Brady set an NFL record for pass attempts last season, and it’s not likely that expected starter Baker Mayfield will throw the ball the same amount. Expect production for this offense to be down all around.
2023 Bottom Line
Evans has been a reliable fantasy asset for years, but there are some serious concerns heading into 2023. Evans will be 30 when the season starts, and entering his 10th season in the league. And without Brady in the picture, it’s hard to see Evans being his same self in 2023. Our projections have him finishing below 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. He’s still a talented receiver though, and could be a steal if Mayfield can surprise people. He should be viewed around the WR30 range heading into this season.