Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Michael Pittman Jr.

Monday, December 23, 12:31 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught just five of his eight targets for 69 yards during Sunday's Week 16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Evans was the Buccaneers' leading receiver, but managers would have liked to see him rack up a little more production or find the end zone with a potential berth in the fantasy championship on the line. For the veteran receiver, all eyes are on the 1,000-yard mark. Evans has eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 NFL seasons, but he's not a lock to reach that threshold in 2024. The 31-year-old needs 182 yards over his final two games to achieve the big milestone. From a fantasy perspective, he should continue to be viewed as a low-end WR1 option heading into next week's battle with a subpar Carolina Panthers defense.

Monday, December 23, 1:10 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught 2-of-3 targets for 19 yards and no touchdowns in a 38-30 win over the Titans on Sunday. With Jonathan Taylor running wild on the Tennessee defense, quarterback Anthony Richardson wasn't tasked with airing it out much in this one, completing only seven passes in the game. Josh Downs returned to being the "preferred" receiving option in this one, logging three catches on four targets, but both receivers probably have a similar chance to lead the receiving corps next week. In Week 17, the Colts will take on the Giants, a defense that has been good at limiting fantasy production to receivers but one of the worst against running backs, so look for Taylor and Richardson to carry the load again next Sunday. That likely leaves Pittman Jr. as a dicey WR3/4 option with fantasy championships on the line.