Fantasy football start or sit Week 15: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin

Mike Moraitis

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Fantasy football start or sit Week 15: Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin image

For the first time this season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have their top-four wideouts together for the same game.

On Wednesday, the Bucs activated wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan off injured reserve, and both are expected to suit up on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

If so, they will be joining fellow wideouts Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka, which creates an ideal scenario for the Bucs but a less-than ideal scenario for fantasy managers who are trying to navigate the first round of their playoffs.

The only semblance clarity we have right now is that McMillan is the No. 4 option in the wide receivers room and is clearly not a starting option in Week 15.

But things are much murkier when it comes to Evans, Godwin and Egbuka, all of whom have a plus matchup against a Falcons defense giving up the 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season.

Here's our take on whether or not any of the three should be in your lineup for the start of the fantasy football playoffs.

Mike Evans start or sit advice

Evans is a risky play this week for several reasons.

For starters, he only ranked as WR33 overall in the three full games he has played in this season.

Adding to that, he could be very rusty and figures to have a limited snap count in his first game back, much like we saw with Godwin when he played on 25 snaps upon his return from injury in Week 12.

As if all that wasn't enough, the Bucs have quite the crowded situation in the wide receivers room with Evans, Godwin, Egbuka and McMillan all healthy.

There's just no path to suggest Evans as a viable starter in Week 15.

Verdict: Sit

Emeka Egbuka start or sit advice

From Weeks 4 through 10, Egbuka was WR11 overall and looked to be on a trajectory for elite production this season.

However, since then, Egbuka hasn't come close to that production, ranking as WR50 overall from Weeks 11 through 14.

Now add in the fact that Egbuka has two more wide receivers to contend with on top of Godwin with Evans and McMillan coming back, and that makes him a shakier option than he already was.

Putting it all together, it's hard to trust Egbuka in lineups this week.

Verdict: Sit

Chris Godwin start or sit advice

Godwin has easily been the Bucs' most consistent wide receiver the past two weeks, tallying eight receptions for 133 scoreless yards in that span, good enough for a ranking of WR32 overall in fantasy points per game.

Not great, but he has been better than Egbuka, who ranks as WR68 in that same span.

When you're in a do-or-die situation in the fantasy playoffs, you want to roll with the guys who have been the most consistent, especially of late. When it comes to the Bucs' wideouts, Godwin is that guy.

Now, to be clear, we don't feel great about Godwin and would opt for someone who has been more consistent over the course of the entire season, but his production in recent weeks suggests he's the best starting option out of Tampa Bay's wideouts in Week 15.

Verdict: Start

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Contributing Writer