Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 53.6 | 0.4 |
Mike Evans News
Monday, August 31, 6:32 AM
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (groin) could ultimately prove to be the biggest boom-or-bust pick in 2026 drafts. Already struggling through availability concerns before a game has even been played, the six-time Pro Bowler is 33 years old and has missed 12 games over the past two seasons. When on the field, however, he remains a dominator, particularly in the way it's easy to envision him being used by the 49ers. Operating with a fullback on the field more than any other team over the past two seasons, two-receiver sets have become a staple of Kyle Shanahan's offense, and since 2022, Evans has earned 2.97 yards per route run with fewer than three receivers on the field, a number that would have ranked third in the league among qualified receivers last year. Evans also remains a significant scoring threat for an offense that made the eighth most red zone trips in the league in 2025. Despite true WR1 upside, Evans' warranted health concerns have pushed him to WR28 by current ADP, putting him into a range of the draft that makes it slightly easier to overlook his obvious red flags, as when healthy he should help decide matchups.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.2 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 91.8 | 0.6 |
Jaxon Smith-Njigba News
Saturday, August 29, 7:31 PM
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is fresh off a spectacular 2025 season in which he was named Offensive Player of the Year. He was in a tight race with Puka Nacua for the title of top-scoring fantasy receiver, and although those honors ultimately went to the Rams receiver, Smith-Njigba was still a fantasy league winner with 119 catches, 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Heading into 2026, Smith-Njigba should continue to be viewed as an elite option at the wide receiver position. His price tag has adjusted to his remarkable year, but even at an ADP of 6.1, we'd still feel confident drafting the Seahawks' superstar. He has quarterback stability with Sam Darnold returning to feed him the football, and he has a legitimate chance to finish as the overall WR1 in fantasy leagues if Nacua ends up being suspended for his off-the-field actions. Smith-Njigba's current ADP makes him the third receiver off the board behind Nacua and Ja'Marr Chase. Fantasy football experts seem to agree with this price tag, as he checks in as the WR3 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026. You're not getting Smith-Njigba at a discount right now, but you're also not overpaying. He's a very talented, high-upside option in the middle of the first round.
Mike Evans vs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Still trying to decide between Evans and Smith-Njigba? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Mike Evans is projected to score 11.6 points this week while Jaxon Smith-Njigba is projected to score 19.2 points.
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