Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Ja'Marr Chase

Saturday, February 28, 4:17 AM

At the NFL Combine on Thursday, sources told Jenna Laine of ESPN that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will "aggressively pursue" attempts to re-sign wide receiver Mike Evans ahead of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old pass catcher played in a career-low eight games in 2025 due to collarbone and hamstring injuries, and was unable to extend his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to 12. When active and healthy in Weeks 1 through 3 and 15 through 18, however, Evans was quarterback Baker Mayfield's preferred target, averaging eight targets and 39% air yards share per game. If Evans does return to Tampa, he profiles as a low-end WR2 due to his target volume and the likelihood that he will lead a packed wide receiver room.

Sunday, February 22, 4:21 AM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had another strong season in 2025. While he wasn't able to replicate his WR1 finish from 2024, he still had a big year with 125 catches, 1,412 yards, and eight touchdowns across 16 games. He was the WR4 in PPR leagues, extending his streak to five consecutive finishes within the top 12. It was impressive to see Chase thrive even without Joe Burrow throwing him passes for the whole season. He spent plenty of games with Joe Flacco and Jake Browning, which limited his upside on a week-by-week basis. That partial-season quarterback downgrade is likely why Chase only scored eight touchdowns, relative to his 17 from the year before. Burrow's health is never a guarantee, but if the quarterback can stay healthy for most of 2026, Chase and fellow receiver Tee Higgins should both benefit. He's still a top-three receiver with overall WR1 upside in both redraft and dynasty leagues. If there's ever a time to get him at a slight discount in dynasty trades, it might be now.