Mike Evans is expected to return this season after suffering a broken collarbone in Week 7. The Buccaneers placed him on the injured reserve Oct. 22, which means the WR will need to miss at least four games.
In this Evans injury update, we’ll look at when he’ll return and be back on the field for the Bucs. We’ll also look at Evans’ fantasy football stock and take a glance at the Bucs’ odds.
⏳ When will Mike Evans return and be back with the Buccaneers?
Evans was injured against the Detroit Lions in Week 7 while tracking a deep pass and crashing to the Ford Field turf. He suffered a concussion on the play and a broken collarbone.
The collarbone injury was a clean break, which means Evans will be out 6-8 weeks. Expect Evans’ timeline to be on the longer side of that projection given his age and recent string of injuries.
The Bucs’ Week 14 game against the New Orleans Saints would be seven weeks from when the injury occurred. Here’s a look at the Tampa Bay schedule around the time that Evans is likely to return.
- Week 14 Sunday, Dec. 7: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 15 Thursday, Dec. 11: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 16 Sunday, Dec. 21: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Complicating matters is the Bucs’ Week 15 Thursday night game. Teams will often use short weeks to give extra rest to injured players or those who are close to returning from an issue. It’s possible the Bucs could hold Evans out against the Saints and Falcons while targeting Week 16 at Carolina.
If Evans were to return for the Panthers game, it would be nine weeks from the time of the injury.
🏥 How long will Mike Evans be out?
One of the most notable NFL returns from a broken collarbone occurred in the 2013 season, when then-Packers QB Aaron Rodgers came back from the injury. Rodgers was on the shelf for 56 days, exactly eight weeks, due to the injury.
Evans has been out for 15 days so far.
A fellow wide receiver who’s currently sidelined with a broken collarbone is the Packers’ Jayden Reed. Reed was injured on Sept. 11 of this season, and he’s likely to return in the next couple of weeks.
It doesn’t look like there have been any setbacks in Evans’ recovery thus far, so the eight-week timeline is holding up.
🏈 Mike Evans fantasy football outlook
Evans was drafted in the third or fourth round of most standard 12-team PPR fantasy football leagues this past summer. The veteran has been ultra-reliable as a fantasy player throughout his career, as he boasts 11 straight 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons.
That streak appears to be ending though due to the injuries Evans has suffered this season. He also missed time this campaign with a hamstring injury prior to the collarbone break.
He’s appeared in just four games so far this season logging 14 catches for 140 yards.
⛵️ Buccaneers odds
The Buccaneers opened the season with +3000 Super Bowl odds at the best NFL betting sites.
Tampa Bay is currently +2700 to win it all and its win total is set at 11.5.
Baker Mayfield and crew are -475 to win the NFC South.
