Jameis Winston's debut in the NFL did not go as planned. The No.1 overall draft pick was outshined by the No.2 draft pick, Marcus Mariota, as the Buccaneers took the loss in Week 1. Tampa Bay managed just 14 points as Winston's first pass went for an interception returned for a touchdown. He finished the day going 16-of-33 for 210 yards with two interceptions and two touchdowns. While some are starting to hit the panic button, the return of Mike Evans could help the quarterback.
According to the Tampa Tribune, Evans could be active in Week 2 following a hamstring injury that kept him out of the season opener. It is no secret the Buccaneers desperately need Evans. The second-year wide receiver is expected to run tandem with Vincent Jackson and be a major safety blanket for the quarterback. If Evans is active against the New Orleans Saints, fantasy owners would be very wise to start him as Winston is expected to eye him on every play.
If Evans is out once again, Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a solid waiver option in Week 2. The tight end had a breakout game against the Titans, putting up 110 yards and two touchdowns off just five catches. Coming in a relative unknown, the second-year player looks like a real threat on the field and could be a huge weapon for Winston moving forward. Jackson of course was the most heavily targeted player on the field without Evans, but he only managed to haul in four of his 11 passes. That must improve against the Saints.
Winston admits that Week 1 was a humbling effort. The quarterback told the media that he went back and watched the tape and it certainly was not fun the second time around. Of course Winston is supposed to be the new face of the franchise and the Buccaneers are confident he can turn things around quickly.
"I stayed up until probably about 2 o'clock [in the morning]," Winston said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "Just trying to see what went wrong. I was trying to get every excuse just to put that one behind me. But it hurt. The sun did rise the next day, and I was back out there playing football. It's a very humbling experience because the game could've gone either way."
Tampa Bay is hopeful that Evans will be back on the field come Week 2. With the Saints secondary in flux, he could easily turn out a big game for the quarterback which fantasy owners would love. The run game will see more involvement, but with Winston capable of making plays with his legs, investing in either Doug Martin or Charles Sims is a risk.
