The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting a major boost at a critical point in the season - Mike Evans is back.
After being designated to return from injured reserve last week but ultimately sitting out in Week 14, the Bucs wide receiver has officially been activated and is expected to suit up Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons. It's a big step for a Tampa Bay offense that’s been searching for consistency and explosiveness down the stretch.
Evans logged three limited practices this week and entered the week with a questionable tag, but the team cleared the final hurdle by activating him off IR on Wednesday. That move opens the door for his return to game action - and not a moment too soon for a Bucs team still fighting for positioning in the NFC South.
He won’t be the only reinforcement. Rookie Jalen McMillan has also been activated off injured reserve, giving quarterback Baker Mayfield a fuller complement of weapons for a prime-time divisional matchup.
“They looked good, they looked fresh, they ran great routes, they looked like they never left,” said head coach Todd Bowles of Evans and McMillan. “Obviously, they haven’t been hit or anything yet, but they looked good in practice.”
That’s the good news. The not-so-good news - at least from a fantasy football standpoint - is that expectations should be tempered.
Evans has only played in three full games this season, and in those appearances, he ranked as WR33 overall. That’s not exactly elite production, and it’s fair to wonder how much of a workload he’ll handle in his first game back.
If the Bucs follow the same script they used with Chris Godwin in Week 12 - when Godwin returned from injury and saw just 25 snaps - it’s reasonable to expect a similar snap count for Evans. That puts a cap on his fantasy upside, especially in a crowded wide receiver room.
Tampa Bay now has Godwin back in rhythm, McMillan returning, and rookie Emeka Egbuka continuing to carve out opportunities. That’s a lot of mouths to feed, and Evans may not get the volume fantasy managers are hoping for - at least not right away.
The matchup against Atlanta is favorable on paper. The Falcons have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, which could open the door for a big play or two. But given the snap count concerns, recent production, and the Bucs’ depth at the position, Evans profiles more as a risky flex option than a must-start.
In short: yes, Mike Evans is back. But for fantasy managers in the thick of the playoffs, this might not be the week to plug him back into your lineup. Let’s see how he looks in live action before counting on him to be a difference-maker again.