Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had one of the best seasons of any receiver in 2023, while the Indianapolis Colts‘ Michael Pittman Jr. enjoyed a career year last season. Fantasy managers deciding between these two players for their lineup face a very difficult task.
Here is the fantasy outlook for both Evans and Pittman heading into this season.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Mike Evans
Evans is the WR15 in Pro Football Network’s consensus fantasy football rankings.
As mentioned, his numbers in 2023 were some of the best in the NFL for a wide receiver.
In fact, Evans was one of only two players last season who had at least 75 receptions (79), 1,200 receiving yards (1,255), 10 touchdown receptions (NFL-best 13), and 15 yards per reception (15.9). The other was Miami Dolphins superstar Tyreek Hill.
Not bad company for Evans to keep.
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Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Evans’ 2023 season was the almost instant connection he had with Buccaneers’ quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Evans was targeted 10 times in Week 1, and by Week 2, Evans had his season high for receiving yards — 171 — in a win over the Chicago Bears.
Evans caught at least one touchdown pass in 11 of his 17 games last season, and his league-leading 13 touchdowns also represented a solid bounce-back season from 2022, when he was held to only six touchdowns.
And his deep-threat capability was a welcomed site in Tampa. Evans ranked seventh in the NFL in yards per reception among players who caught at least 40 passes. In addition, eight of Evans’ 13 touchdown receptions were from 20 or more yards out, and another touchdown just missed the list — a 19-yard touchdown in Week 15 vs. the Green Bay Packers.
In terms of fantasy production, Evans finished 11th in yards per reception (16.6), and his 282.5 total fantasy points were seventh-most in the league.
Mayfield signed a major contract to stay with the Buccaneers in the offseason, something that likely pleased his favorite target.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Michael Pittman Jr.
Pittman checks in as the WR16 on PFN’s consensus rankings. For the fourth time in his four-year career, Pittman is coming off career highs in targets and receptions.
Pittman’s numbers last season — 156 targets, 109 receptions, 1,152 receiving yards — were all career-high marks.
Although he is not the deep-ball threat that Evans is — 10.6 yards per reception — Pittman continues to catch just about everything that comes his way. Pittman’s catch percentage last season (69.9%) was nearly identical to his 2022 percentage (70.2%).
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Pittman was also in the top 15 among wide receivers when it came to fantasy scoring. He finished 15th in fantasy points per game (15.6) and 13th in total fantasy points (250.2). Pittman also had six games with at least 18 fantasy points.
What was a problem for fantasy managers was, no doubt, Pittman’s inability to get in the end zone. For the second straight season, Pittman finished with only four touchdown receptions.
With Anthony Richardson still an unknown commodity at quarterback, there’s no guarantee Pittman can increase that touchdown total in 2024.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
As long as Pittman continues to improve his receiving numbers each season, it’s fair for fantasy managers to pick him over Evans.
However, I really think there are more big things in store for the Mayfield-to-Evans connection, and I would be inclined to take Evans over Pittman for that reason.
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