Mike Evans: Dynasty hold or trade?

The seventh overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mike Evans didn’t waste any time establishing himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. As he enters his age 29 season, his ninth in the league, a decline in Evans’ fantasy football value in dynasty leagues isn’t far off. But it’s not going to happen in 2022.

Earlier in his career, Evans put up big numbers across the board, setting a career high with 1,524 receiving yards in 2018. The nature of his game has changed a bit since Tom Brady came to town. He saw his overall target share and yardage totals decline—though he was still above average in those categories—but he’s made up for that as a red zone threat. Last season, he caught a career high 14 touchdown passes, along with a respectable 1,035 yards on 74 catches.

Trade or hold Mike Evans in dynasty fantasy football?

It looked like Evans’ fantasy impact for 2022 was going to take a big hit when Tom Brady announced his retirement. But since Brady changed his mind, Evans should once again be among the league leaders in touchdowns. Evans might even see a bump in targets and yardage since Chris Godwin is still recovering from a late season ACL tear, even with Russell Gage signed this offseason.

However, beyond 2022 things get cloudy for Evans. He’s been healthy throughout his career, so there’s no major concerns there. But the Bucs may well have quarterback questions after this season, just as Evans enters his 30s, when even the best receivers start to slow down a little.

Evans is going to hover between WR1 and WR2 production this year, probably closer to the former. So if you’ve got a legitimate shot to win it all, it might be worth holding on. But if you’re looking for help or beyond the 2022 season, you’re probably going to get maximum return if you trade Evans this year.