Mike Evans may be wearing a different uniform now, but the league still views him like one of its best.
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick slotted the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star at No. 16 in their latest wide receiver rankings heading into the 2026 season, with Evans now listed as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. Even after injuries cut short his remarkable run of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2025, PFF still sees a receiver with plenty of juice left.
A big reason is the same trait that has defined so much of Evans’ career: he wins the tough ones. Wasserman and Chadwick pointed to his contested-catch ability, noting that despite playing only eight games and seeing just 59 targets last season, Evans still came down with 12 contested receptions.
That ranked among the NFL’s top 20 wide receivers. They also believe his knack for winning one-on-one battles should translate well in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
For Tampa Bay, Evans’ exit closes the book on a run that made him arguably the greatest receiver in franchise history. Over 12 seasons with the Buccaneers, he built a resume loaded with production and consistency, helped deliver a Super Bowl title, and put together one of the longest streaks of 1,000-yard receiving seasons the league has ever seen.
Now the Buccaneers are moving forward with a new look at wideout. Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Tampa Bay’s younger receivers are expected to carry the load Evans handled for more than a decade. It’s a major shift, though one the organization has spent the last two offseasons getting ready for.
At 33, Evans is still being treated like a player who can make an impact. If he stays healthy, he’ll have a chance to show that his production wasn’t just tied to one stop and keep adding to a career already stacked with accomplishments.
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Smiths value only becomes clearer when you factor in how much he played through, because his production came while he was not at full strength. A healthier version of Smith, backed by a deeper defense, could change the conversation around Tampa Bays secondary in a hurry, and there is already a sense that his ceiling is much higher than what most fans saw last season. [Read more 🡒]