Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Ricky Pearsall

Monday, January 13, 12:26 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught all seven of his targets for 92 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's loss to the Washington Commanders. He once again established himself as the top target for Baker Mayfield, but it wasn't nearly enough as the Buccaneers fell to the Commanders on a last-second field goal. Evans is coming off a storybook 2024 campaign in which he delivered his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season despite missing three games due to injury. The 31-year-old has cemented himself as a high-end WR2 on a yearly basis, with plenty of weekly appearances in the WR1 range throughout his career. Even as he enters his 12th NFL season with time not on his side, Evans remains a top wide receiver and should be regarded as a high-end WR2 heading into 2025 fantasy football.

Sunday, January 5, 10:47 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall followed last week's breakout game with another strong showing in Sunday's 47-24 Week 18 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Arizona native caught six of eight targets for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown grab on a contested slant pattern from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Pearsall, who started his 49ers career on a terrifying note -- being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt -- had an up-and-down year once he debuted in Week 7. Pearsall produced four fantasy-useful performances in 2024 but seven in which he was held below six half-PPR points. With momentum and the validation of his first-round pedigree this season, Pearsall could be an intriguing late-round fantasy pick in 2025 depending on the health of Brandon Aiyuk's knee, and if Pearsall can move past Jauan Jennings and/or Deebo Samuel Sr. in the 49ers' hierarchy.