Lee Evans

Considering the Bills got fairly competent quarterbacking from Ryan Fitzpatrick for most of the season, Evans' 2010 was disappointing. While he averaged 15.6 YPC, he caught just 45 percent of the balls thrown his way and managed just 7.0 YPT. It wasn't long before he lost his status as the team's top target, as Steve Johnson became Fitzpatrick's go-to guy. Evans has just average size but has made a living gashing defenses for big plays down the field. He still managed three catches of 40-yards plus, and his per-catch average suggests he's still plenty fast. Now that he's with the Ravens, he'll get a fresh start, where he's penciled in to start opposite Anquan Boldin, while providing QB Joe Flacco with a proven downfield threat.

Aside from the seven scores, 2009 was a lost season for Evans. Overshadowed by Terrell Owens, and playing with quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards, Evans managed just 6.2 yards per target on 98 looks. His receiving average of 13.7 was easily the lowest of his career, and he saw just 12 red-zone targets all season. Typically one of the best big-play receivers in the league, Evans had just 10 catches of 20-yards plus and one from 40-plus. At 5-11, 196, Evans is blazingly fast, quick in and out of his breaks, runs excellent routes and has good hands. With Owens gone, Evans is the team’s No. 1 wideout again, so expect more targets and production for that reason alone. Just keep in mind Evans will be working with the same below-average signal-callers for another year, as well as an offensive line still trying to find its footing.

Very quietly, Evans was the third most productive 100-target receiver in the league on a per-play basis last year. And this despite playing for Dick Jauron in a tough climate and catching passes from Trent Edwards and J.P. Losman. Evans managed 1,017 yards on just 102 looks by averaging 16.1 yards per catch and hauling in 62 percent of the balls thrown his way. While 62 percent is unremarkable for a possession receiver, it’s outstanding for someone running deeper routes. (Of the nine 70-target receivers to average 16-plus yards per catch, Evans and Steve Smith (60) were the only ones who caught more than 58 percent of their targets). At 5-11, 196, Evans’ game is based on speed, quickness and the ability to change directions without slowing down. He’s also a crisp route runner who’s willing to go over the middle and catch the ball in traffic. He’s not physically cut out for red-zone work (just eight looks last year), and with the arrival of Terrell Owens – one of the league’s all-time great red-zone targets – we don’t expect an increase on that front in 2009. The overall impact of Owens’ arrival on Evans’ production is hard to say. On the one hand, Evans should thrive in single coverage and is likely to hurt defenses down the field more often (his four 40-plus receptions last year tied him for 15th). On the other, unless the Bills become a pass-first team – something that’s possible, though given their 30 passing attempts per game last year (25th), not probable – we wonder if there will be enough targets to satisfy both receivers. At the very least Evans will again do a lot of damage on a per-target basis. His value will depend on how often the Bills throw the ball.

Once in a while we get one wrong, and Evans is a case in point. Looking at his per-play numbers and game-breaking ability in 2005-06, we thought Evans would join the elite last season thanks to J.P. Losman's continued development. Instead, Losman got hurt and then lost his job to rookie Trent Edwards, and the Bills' entire offensive scheme changed. Gone was the bomb-it-down-the-field style that played to Evans' and Losman's strengths, and in its place, a dink-and-dunk scheme that failed to take advantage of Evans' ability to beat defenders deep. All is not lost, however, as we expect the Bills to loosen the reins somewhat with Edwards in his second season, and Evans should benefit from getting accustomed to his new quarterback. The ascension of Turk Schonert, the team's former quarterbacks coach, to offensive coordinator should also open up the offense to an extent, but keep in mind that the conservative Dick Jauron is still the team's head coach. At 5-10, 197, Evans is on the small side, but he’s got electrifying quickness, excellent deep speed and can change directions on a dime. He’s also a crisp route-runner and is unafraid to mix it up in the middle of the field. Evans saw just 12 red-zone targets a year ago, and that number’s not likely to increase given the arrival of 6-6 rookie James Hardy and that Marshawn Lynch is likely to get plenty of work from in close. Evans had minor surgery on his shoulder this offseason, but he's expected to be 100 percent healthy for the start of training camp.

If these entries were limited to three words, the one for Evans would read: “Explosive downfield playmaker.” For a wide receiver, that’s a good thing. Evans was tied for third in the league with six catches of 40 yards or more, but in the season’s second half, Evans had three for 77 yards or more, (including two 83-yard touchdowns in the same game) and a fourth from 52 yards. All told, Evans had 43 catches for 805 yards and six touchdowns in the season’s final eight games, averaging nearly 19 yards per catch and clicking well with developing third-year signal-caller J.P. Losman. At 5-10, 197, Evans lacks ideal size, but his tremendous speed, crisp route-running and ability to change directions on a dime allow him to get separation all over the field and gouge the defense for game-breaking plays. Evans is also willing to go over the middle to make the tough catches in traffic and doesn’t shy away from contact. Evans only had 10 red-zone looks, just two more than teammate Peerless Price, as the Bills tried ineffectively to pound the ball from in close with their running backs. Unless that changes, Evans is going to have to do most of his scoring from long range, which is harder to count on, especially if you’re looking for consistent production. Still, given his ability to score from distance, his strong second half and the late-season development of Losman, there’s a lot of upside here.

After a big second half to his rookie season, Evans’ production in 2005 depended largely on which Bills quarterback was under center. With J.P. Losman at the helm, Evans made plays down the field and looked like Buffalo’s No. 1 wideout. With Kelly Holcomb getting the snaps, Evans virtually disappeared, and Eric Moulds got most of the looks. Evans has been the Bills' downfield threat the last couple years, and Losman’s cannon arm and ability to buy time played to his strength, while Holcomb’s short-range accuracy favored more of a possession threat like Moulds. The Bills traded Moulds to the Texans this offseason, but at press time it’s still unclear which of the two quarterbacks will open the season as the starter. Evans averaged 15.2 yards per catch and a passable 8.1 yards per target last year, and he hauled in a whopping seven passes for 40 yards or more, tying for second in the league, despite having just 92 targets (41st). Evans was also successful from in close, catching all three of his targets from inside the five for scores. Evans is a dangerous runner after the catch due to his quickness, excellent vision and ability to change direction on a dime. He’s a tough receiver who can catch the ball in traffic, and he doesn’t shy away from contact. He has only average size, however, and isn’t going to routinely outleap smaller defensive backs. The Bills signed veteran Peerless Price to compete for the No. 2 job opposite Evans, but it would be a shock if Evans weren’t far and away Buffalo’s top target, no matter who wins the quarterback competition. In Week 16, Evans and Holcomb finally hooked up for 107 yards and a touchdown on five catches, so there’s some cause for hope even if Holcomb prevails. Update: Losman looked good in preseason and won the starting job, so give Evans a bump up if you're drafting late.

Evans came on strong during the second half of his rookie season, catching 32 passes for 522 yards and seven scores, and quickly emerged as Buffalo’s big-play threat. Despite just 78 targets (50th), Evans caught six passes for 40 yards or more, tying for fourth in the league. Also, Evans averaged 17.6 yards per catch and a whopping 10.8 yards per pass – tops in the league among receivers with 40 or more targets. Like Ashley Lelie, Evans was one of the few receivers whose targets produced significantly more yards per play than an average Peyton Manning pass in 2004. Of course, the same caveats about sample size apply even more so here, but 78 targets are enough to know that Evans is a legitimate NFL playmaker. Evans isn’t a big target at 5-10, 197 pounds, but he’s got excellent speed and quickness, good leaping ability and strong hands. He’ll fight for the ball in traffic and is dangerous in the open field. If the Bills weren’t a run-first, defensive-minded team, featuring an inexperienced quarterback, Evans would be 10 spots higher on this list.

Evans has great speed and once he's ready will give the Bills an explosive big-play deep threat they've lacked since losing Peerless Price. Evans is talented and mature enough to challenge for a starting job from Day 1. His skills: he runs smooth routes with quick cuts while having good hands with decent blocking skills. We think he'll show signs of fantasy value in 2004, but won't really pan out until 2005 or 2006.

Evans has great speed and once he's ready will give the Bills an explosive big-play deep threat they've lacked since losing Peerless Price. Evans is talented and mature enough to challenge for a starting job from Day 1. His skills: he runs smooth routes with quick cuts while having good hands with decent blocking skills. We think he'll show signs of fantasy value in 2004, but won't really pan out until 2005 or 2006.