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When will Mike Evans return and play? Will Mike Evans be back again this season? Read the latest Mike Evans injury updates and return date for Week 6 (2025).
In 2024, Mike Evans logged his eleventh straight 1,000-yard season, going back to his rookie year in 2014. A model of consistency, Evans was a highly sought-after commodity in fantasy football drafts, pursued to an ADP of 34.9 with the expectation that another productive season was in store for the Buccaneers receiver.
Unfortunately, those expectations were derailed in Week 3, when Evans exited early with a hamstring injury.
When will Evans return to action, and what is his fantasy football outlook when he does? Let's dive in.
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Mike Evans Injury Update
Evans pulled up lame on a route in the second half of Tampa Bay's eventual win in Week 3 against the New York Jets and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. Evans' injury precluded his involvement in practices since then, and he was held out of Week 5 and Week 6.
If there is a bright side to his situation, it is that the Buccaneers have not seen fit to place their star receiver on injured reserve. Such a move would have put Evans on the shelf for a minimum of four games, making Week 8 the earliest we would see him back in action.
Without Tampa Bay making that move, the door is open to an earlier return. Evans opened the week with a DNP, and head coach Todd Bowles spoke vaguely about the receiver's status. Fantasy football managers should keep an eye on the Bucs' injury reports this week. Even if he is forced to sit in Week 6, the degree to which he participates in practices in the coming days could indicate how ready he will be for Week 7.
Bowles today on Mike Evans and when he could return from his hamstring injury: "He's coming along. He's healing. I can't tell you how fast or when, but he's healing, and he's working, trying to get back fast as he can."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 8, 2025
Mike Evans Fantasy Football Outlook
Evans started 2025 somewhat slowly, registering 14 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown before his hamstring injury interrupted his season. However, in a team context, Evans was a dominant factor in the Buccaneers' passing attack. Evans commanded a 28.1% target share and 39.5% air yard share.
Rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka has thrived in Evans' absence. In Week 4, Egbuka logged four receptions for 101 yards and followed that up with a seven-catch, 163-yard day in Week 5, making him just the second rookie in franchise history (after Evans himself, in 2014) to post 100 receiving yards in consecutive games.
Emeka Egbuka is the first player in NFL history with 25+ receptions, 400+ receiving yards and 5+ receiving touchdowns through his first five career games.
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) October 6, 2025
Egbuka's emergence shouldn't be interpreted as a threat to Evans' productivity once he returns. The 32-year-old veteran is who he is, despite sharing the spotlight with Chris Godwin (fibula) for most of his career. The rotating 1A/1B roles that led to the receivers' mutual success over the years should continue, with Egbuka in Godwin's role.
How much Godwin will cut into Tampa's target distribution remains to be seen. He saw 10 targets in his 2025 debut back in Week 4, but saw just four in the next game. Godwin is now dealing with a leg injury that prevented him from practicing on Wednesday, too.
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Popular Week 6 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 6 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Quentin Johnston, Stefon Diggs, Brian Thomas Jr., Chris Olave, Zay Flowers, Calvin Ridley, Kendrick Bourne compared to others:
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