Second-most yards per target in 2018
The second mind-numbing statistic from Evans’ 2018 performance is that he also finished second in the entire league in yards per target as well. With Evans’ wide catch radius, there are few balls that are uncatchable for him, and with his hands, he does indeed secure most targets.
To qualify for this statistic, receivers had to see a minimum of 80 targets over the course of the season, and Evans finished with 11.29 yards per look his way on 136 targets. He brought in 86 catches last season, ranking as the second most in his career to this point; he also finished with a career-high in yards per reception in 2018 averaging nearly 18 yards every time he reeled in a pass.
Mike Evans ranked second among WRs with a 11.29 yards per target average a season ago in Tampa! pic.twitter.com/Jhu2qJ01SK
— PFF (@PFF) July 3, 2019
Good news for both the Buccaneers and Evans in 2019, he will see a ton of targets in 2019 as well. Tampa Bay has a reliable and ultra-consistent receiver they can trust, and Evans has found himself in an offensive system that best fits his skill set.
For a quarterback like Winston who struggles with accuracy issues at times, having a receiver like Evans who has a radius wide enough to compensate for a poorly placed ball is essential. If Winston hopes to see success in 2019, he should look Evans’ way early and often.