Mike Evans ruled OUT for Week 16 vs. Panthers

Friday update: Evans has been ruled out for Week 16 vs. the Panthers, head coach Bruce Arians told reporters on Friday afternoon. This isn’t any surprise really. We anticipated Evans being sidelined along with Chris Godwin and RB Leonard Fournette, all three being injured in Week 15’s loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Thursday update: Evans was once again a DNP on Thursday with his hamstring injury and seems more unlikely to not suit up for Week 16 against the Panthers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have listed wide receiver Mike Evans as “DNP” for the team’s Wednesday walkthrough session ahead of Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. Evans was part of the slew of injuries Tampa suffered Sunday night in Week 15, with Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette being the other major casualties.

Fantasy football implications

Since it was only a walkthrough session, it’s hard to make any conjecture about Evans’ Week 16 status at the moment. The receiver does have a hamstring injury, which typically takes some time to heal. If Evans cannot go, look for Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller to step into bigger roles. The Buccaneers appear to be close to getting Antonio Brown back as well, so this wide receiver group should be in good shape even if Evans does not suit up for Week 16. There should be more clarity on the receiver’s status in the coming days.