Start Mike Evans or Khalil Shakir? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Mike Evans over Khalil Shakir in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Mike Evans at 10.7 points and Khalil Shakir at 9.7, a gap of 1.0. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Khalil Shakir's number is scaled up from a partial market: not every stat the position needs is posted yet, so the rest is estimated from what is.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 10.7 fantasy points for Mike Evans, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Mike Evans at 48.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 31% chance to score a touchdown (16, 10 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 9.7 fantasy points for Khalil Shakir, with 70 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market gives Khalil Shakir a 28% chance to score a touchdown (14 market sources).

That puts Mike Evans 1.0 points ahead of Khalil Shakir on the market projections.

Injury status

Mike Evans is listed as questionable with a ribs injury.

Khalil Shakir is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Mike Evans played 57 percent of SF snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 36 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

Mike Evans, Week 1 against LAR: 49 of 65 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 49 yards, 1 touchdown.

Mike Evans, Week 2 against MIA: 28 of 52 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 54 yards.

Mike Evans, Week 3 against ARI: 18 of 54 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 34 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Mike Evans, Week 4 against DEN: 39 of 66 snaps, 8 targets and 5 catches for 76 yards.

Through Week 4, Khalil Shakir played 62 percent of BUF snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 13 percent of the air yards and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

Khalil Shakir, Week 1 against HOU: 31 of 58 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 40 yards.

Khalil Shakir, Week 2 against DET: 36 of 74 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 38 yards.

Khalil Shakir, Week 3 against LAC: 48 of 66 snaps, 3 targets and 1 catch for 6 yards.

Khalil Shakir, Week 4 against NE: 45 of 59 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 82 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Mike Evans played 8 games for TB and scored 84.8 PPR points, 10.6 a game, finishing WR76.

He caught 30 of 61 targets for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 8 red zone targets and 331 air yards.

He was on the field for 65 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Khalil Shakir played 16 games for BUF and scored 166.4 PPR points, 10.4 a game, finishing WR36.

He caught 72 of 95 targets for 719 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 178 air yards.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Carnell Tate over Mike Evans.
• Start Christian Watson over Mike Evans.
• Start Davante Adams over Mike Evans.
• Start Khalil Shakir over Courtland Sutton.
• Start Denzel Boston over Khalil Shakir.
• Start Khalil Shakir over Devaughn Vele.