The Mike Evans-Chris Godwin Tandem Ranking
June 1st, 2023
Fantasy football players know Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were not the tandem you wanted on your team last season.
They combined for only nine touchdowns. Seven NFL receivers had that many or more on their own.
Still, Evans and Godwin racked up about 2,150 yards combined and were very dangerous, especially considering Godwin was coming off a serious knee injury.
So are Evans and Godwin still an elite NFL receiving duo. It’s common in bars from Lakeland to Largo to say they arguably are the best tandem in the league.
Joe can’t go there, but they’re certainly in Joe’s top-5.
Former Pro Bowl receiver and three-time Super Bowl champ Ed McCaffrey, Christian’s dad, joined retired defensive back Solomon Wilcots for a discussion of the subject on SiriusXM NFL Radio this morning.
Their consensus top-2 tandems are Miami’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle (easy choice) and Bengals Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The next tier discussed was D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett of Seattle and Godwin and Evans.
They then moved on to the Chargers’ Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and the highly productive Eagles team of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Those guys ranked fourth and ninth, respectively, in total yards last season.
Joe will not entertain McCaffrey’s silliness of trying to include the Vikings duo Justin Jefferson and rookie Jordan Addison, who played for USC last season. He’s a rookie drafted late in the first round. Stop the nonsense.
Joe is hungry to see how far Evans and Godwin can carry the Bucs. Joe believes each remains capable of having a career year. Imagine if Godwin busts out for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns and Evans has a normal year of 1,100 yards and 9 TDs.
It’s very hard to be a bad team with those kinds of receiver numbers.
June 1st, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Jordan Addison definitely played for USC last season
June 1st, 2023 at 1:53 pm
Jordan Addison definitely played for USC last season
June 1st, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Joe seems like they just see 1 season of production and make their conclusions. ME13 n CG14 have bin doing it for years ( not just 1 season ) and ours boys have a Super Bowl ring to show for it so that puts them at the top
June 1st, 2023 at 1:58 pm
Evans and Godwin are the best tandem in the game.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Great case for best tandem in 2019/2020. Maybe top 5, but at this stage theres more dynamic groups, like Devonta Smith/AJ Brown, Waddle/Hill, Deebo/Aiyuk. Now I am sure some people will get some sort of panic attack, take umbrage and vociferously defend their honor by referencing their career numbers and challenging me to a duel and to that I say: This isnt a legacy discussion. This is a RIGHT NOW discussion. And right now theyre more steady than dynamic. Which is fine, steady is good, i do not take that for granted – but unfortunately they (and the bucs in general) will be even more of an afterthought this if/when they go 5-12 with no national games.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Joe must not remember the 80s Testaverde teams with Mark Carrier and Bruce Hill.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Point being – bad teams with 2 – 1000 yd receivers.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:07 pm
Chain movers
The top teams have EXPLOSIVE players at every skill position
June 1st, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Evans is getting older and he started to show some age last year. He’s still a very good X receiver. Godwin lost some of his explosiveness, but I’m excited to see what he can do this year. Hill and Waddle are by far the best WR tandem in the league. If we had them on our team last year, the offense would’ve fared better. All the QB needed was 1 second to throw a quick pass to either of them and they would’ve taken it to the house. We didn’t and currently don’t have that quickness and explosion.
The Bengals have the greatest WR core in the league. I love Burrow, but he has an insane amount of weapons. Chase is elite. Higgins is a WR 1 on any other team, and Boyd is an elite slot guy.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:24 pm
I have to give those two guys high props. Most OC’s are able to scheme their receivers open. Last year, these guys had to beat their coverages on their own. They had to scratch and claw for every single catch and every single yard. Imagine if our new OC can scheme them open!! We’re talking about 1500 yards and 15 TD’s EACH!!!!
June 1st, 2023 at 2:28 pm
How much of Evans and Godwins drop off last year can we put on Brady v. Father Time? Brady didn’t look good – at all last year.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are much faster than Evans and Chris Godwin.’
Because of his size, many are surprised when they find out that Metcalf is a 4.4 forty guy.
Evans and Godwin are among the better tandems of receivers in the NFL
June 1st, 2023 at 3:18 pm
Maybe they should count rings per tandem? That would vault them to #1. Evans/Godwin I think are 2nd in franchise history behind Morris Owens/John McKay Jr. lol
June 1st, 2023 at 3:21 pm
Evans hasn’t lost a step. Anyone who saw the Carolina game last year knows that. They could very well have a record setting year
June 1st, 2023 at 4:03 pm
They will have another top five year with Traskerfield, and can make the top 3 if the offensive scheme can take better advantage of their skills. Neither one flashes a media personality, and while they keep their heads down, they continue to stack on their legacies. This will be their Third signal caller.
June 1st, 2023 at 4:05 pm
I take no pleasure in saying I think this WR tandem is a bit overrated, mainly because their speed is limited.
June 1st, 2023 at 4:38 pm
1989 – Mark Carrier 940 yds and Bruce Hill 1041 yds we won 5 games with Vinny at qb
Be careful what you wish for
June 1st, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Not sure how you can rank receiver duos without even mentioning who was tossing them the rock. The Bengals’ Chase & Higgins for instance had Joe Burrow throwing to them … 68.3% clip last year. Seattle’s Metcalf & Lockett had Geno Smith tossing it to them … 69.8% clip last year. Tom Brady didn’t do terrible last year … 66.8% … but far too many of those were really short passes to his backs. Our OLine problems unquestionably impacted Evans’ & Godwin’s productivity.
June 1st, 2023 at 5:16 pm
It’s too bad the Saints didn’t cut Winston and instead gave him a new deal, him coming back to Tampa would have been huge, you’d be able to ink Evans and Godwin for 1500 yards each.
June 1st, 2023 at 5:22 pm
I blame everything on Brady, last year. The guy who is not here.
Baker will get the blame, this year. He can screw up, a 2 car funeral.
June 1st, 2023 at 5:36 pm
The best opportunity for Kyle Trask, is having Baker Mayfield as the Bucs other option.
(Not counting Wolford)
June 1st, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Hard to shine when your 45 year old QB is throwing dirtballs instead of taking a hit to throw to the WR
June 1st, 2023 at 6:25 pm
I hear the knock on their speed and counter with their ability to make plays in traffic and on the 50/50 ball.
June 1st, 2023 at 6:28 pm
Going to be tough for both to get 1000 yds in this run first offense.
IMO, Todd won’t throw more than 20-25 times a game unless he has to.
June 1st, 2023 at 6:44 pm
Nothing wrong with being the 3rd or 4th best combo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And if BM plays up to his potential, they could very well be on the rise!!
June 1st, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Yo !
If Tom Brady signs with the Raiders as a FA would the Bucs get a compensation pick?
June 1st, 2023 at 7:43 pm
One big difference between our tandem and the others on the list …
Super Bowl Champs
I like our guys.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:24 pm
“Defense Rules Says:
June 1st, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Not sure how you can rank receiver duos without even mentioning who was tossing them the rock. The Bengals’ Chase & Higgins for instance had Joe Burrow throwing to them … 68.3% clip last year. Seattle’s Metcalf & Lockett had Geno Smith tossing it to them … 69.8% clip last year. Tom Brady didn’t do terrible last year … 66.8% … but far too many of those were really short passes to his backs. Our OLine problems unquestionably impacted Evans’ & Godwin’s productivity.”
Finally, a fan who gets it and has watched the games. Our O-line was horrid last year. Debate me if you will.
Good job as usual, DR.
June 2nd, 2023 at 1:58 am
@rod, your musement to return Jaymiss made me smile.
June 2nd, 2023 at 2:46 am
Last seasons offense was so bad. It was infuriating. The play calling was horrendous. Also Bradys focus on getting rid of the ball so fast I believe led to so many 4 yard catches 3 yard catches here’s a quick out to the tight end for a yard. Robert Hainsey did a admiral job. Shaq.mason just got paid FAT. Donavan had a down year but he’s a very good starter. Tristan is a first ballot hall of famer if he just plays the same way and stays healthy. I didn’t mention left guard well that was a weak spot. Still no.none zero creativity. Byron and Rom just had thier way and dammit that’s just the way. Dave Canales I believe will make this offense up to date, unpredictable, and dare I say innovative.
June 2nd, 2023 at 8:01 am
Sports Illustrated released top ten wide receivers in the NFL Evans or Godwin were not listed. Maybe we are overrating them?
June 2nd, 2023 at 9:48 am
Bucsfan13 Says:
June 1st, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Evans is getting older and he started to show some age last year. He’s still a very good X receiver. Godwin lost some of his explosiveness, but I’m excited to see what he can do this year. Hill and Waddle are by far the best WR tandem in the league. If we had them on our team last year, the offense would’ve fared better. All the QB needed was 1 second to throw a quick pass to either of them and they would’ve taken it to the house. We didn’t and currently don’t have that quickness and explosion.
————————
Woah, so you’re saying that Evans and Godwin were the reason that Brady couldn’t throw the ball past the line of scrimmage 90% of the time. Evans suddenly got old at 28 but our 45 year old QB that lacked the nuts to throw the ball down the field got a free pass? Our receivers were fine, it was the sackless QB that either checked down or presnap audibled to a smoke screen nearly every play that was the problem. If we had even slightly ABOVE AVERAGE QB play last season, we win 10 games… but instead we had Brady, who somehow managed to pad his stats with checkdowns and 3rd down throws five yards short of the sticks and finish with the 18th best QB rating in the league. Dude was straight garbage last season and yall still wanna blame the guys that actually could still do their job effectively.
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:37 am
I’ll take ME13 and CG14 over any other receivers. ME13 is the best 50/50 ball receiver in the game and CG14 does all the dirty work. They are not overrated they are underrated just like LVD. Everyone over looks the Bucs except the last 3 years cause of the Brady affect. Also again I said it before no other tandem that has bin rated count rings but our boys can. Boom debate over lol
June 2nd, 2023 at 12:23 pm
They are very good. Gage is hurt again. Zero proven depth. I hope Rakim Jarrett can spice things up.
June 3rd, 2023 at 9:09 am
Joe, I sent you the SI link yesterday… they don’t have either one in their top 10 receivers.
June 3rd, 2023 at 11:17 am
“Imagine if Godwin busts out for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns and Evans has a normal year of 1,100 yards and 9 TDs.”
Well, if that happens, either Conor Orr from S.I. was totally wrong about Mayfield’s total of 16 TDs for the season or it’ll be Trask throwing the ball for all or a portion of the season.
FYI – 16 TDs is a ludicrously low number – even Davis Mills from Houston had more than that last season with practically NOBODY to throw to. I have to believe that Orr is saying that Mayfield will not play the entire season as the Bucs starting QB.
June 4th, 2023 at 1:08 am
Mike Evans is always underrated. In the Super Bowl year (2020), I think he was rated 17th; I can’t remember the source offhand, but it was typical.
With ratings, the “ra-tors” don’t have to prove how many games they’ve watched.
Personally, I’ve never seen a greater receiver than Mike Evans for adjusting for the flight of the ball; if he turns right, and the ball is coming left, unbelievably, Evans can consistently make that adjustment to catch the ball.
Do they have a stat of who catches the most difficult-to -catch-passes?
Brady bashers: anyone remember that game where Brady threw three deep balls to Mike Evans to put him (Mike Evans) over the 1000 yard mark?
That was due to unusual play-calling: in other words, when Brady was allowed to call his own plays (which was rarely; couldn’t disturb Byron The Great’s delicate ego afterall), Brady and his elite receivers were spectacular; those awesome 4th qtr come-back wins were when Brady called the plays; because Byron and Bowles were desperate for a win.
What a joke: to presume that the team was better off with Byron And Bowles calling the plays, and new more than Brady about operating an offense.
…Still can’t believe the sheer stupidity of it all.
Plus, no O-line of course.
June 4th, 2023 at 9:53 am
Make that “knew,” not “new.”