Would You Rather: Start Chris Godwin or Mike Evans in Fantasy Football for Rest of 2019 NFL Season

After emerging victorious in their Week 2 divisional battle with the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit at 1-1 to begin the 2019 NFL season. From top to bottom, the Bucs as a whole have been inconsistent through two weeks, with one exception – Chris Godwin.

Entering the season, Mike Evans and Godwin were touted as one of the best receiver duos in the NFL. However, Evans has struggled thus far, while Godwin has shined, recording at least 50 yards and a TD in each game.

While both players are talented, Godwin's hot start begs the question: which wide receiver would you rather start for the rest of the fantasy football season?

Mike Evans Fantasy Outlook

Evans was reportedly sick leading up to Week 1, and with the heat index over 100 degrees during the game, he was visibly affected, going for two catches and 28 yards. On a short turnaround, the Bucs hit the road to play Carolina, a game in which Evans trended upward, catching four balls for 61 yards in Week 2.

While that's two duds in a row, there's still plenty of reason for optimism. Evans can be a bit of a boom-or-bust player, as he was held below 60 yards receiving five times in 2018. He still hauled in 1,524 yards and eight TDs in 2018, so a few shaky performances clearly didn't hurt his season-long value all that much.

Chris Godwin Fantasy Outlook

While Evans' production will almost certainly improve, there's little reason to believe that Godwin's will fall off. Godwin was actually one of the most efficient receivers in football last season, averaging 14.3 yards per reception in 2018. That was the ninth-highest mark among all WRs that hauled in at least 50 passes.

All the third-year receiver needed was a more consistent opportunity, and it looks like he's finally getting that. Tampa Bay moved on from Adam Humphries and DeSean Jackson, who saw a combined 179 targets in 2018. With those two out of the picture, Godwin has led Tampa Bay in targets in the first two games of the 2019 season.

At the end of the day, Evans' track record suggests he's still the WR you'd rather own. Evans has racked up at least 1,000 yards in all five of his NFL seasons, and has averaged eight TDs per year. However, Godwin's emergence through two weeks has made this something we can talk about, pointing to his upside for the remainder of the season as well.

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