Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Deebo Samuel

Saturday, November 23, 12:20 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring), who is expected to play in Week 12 against the New York Giants despite a questionable tag on the final injury report, said he had no concerns about aggravating his right hamstring in his return this Sunday. Evans sustained the injury in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens while he was already dealing with a hamstring injury in the same leg but in a different location of the muscle. The future Hall of Famer has missed the last three games, tied for the longest absence in his amazing career. Head coach Todd Bowles did leave open the possibility of pulling Evans on Sunday if needed, but fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to put Evans back in their starting lineups this weekend as quarterback Baker Mayfield's clear top target in the passing game. Evans needs to average 95 receiving yards per game the rest of 2024 to tie Jerry Rice's NFL-record 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

Saturday, November 23, 1:28 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will line up across from the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday. In one of his most disappointing fantasy performances of the year, the dual-threat weapon was held to 4.1 half-PPR points in last week's home loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Looking ahead things don't look too promising. The Packers have been the 12th-toughest matchup for opposing wide receivers, and the 49ers will be without quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder) and potentially All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who is questionable with an ankle injury. It's possible that Samuel Sr. could find rapport with backup QB Brandon Allen at Lambeau Field, but the slump-breaking performance that fantasy managers have been waiting for since Week 6 is less likely now. At least tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is back, hopefully taking some defensive focus off Samuel Sr. between the hash marks. Given the uncertainty regarding San Francisco's offensive efficiency in Week 12, consider Samuel Sr. a mid-range WR2.