The Bucs have spent the last few years boasting one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin form a deadly combination that is difficult for any defense to stop. But while they might be among the league’s best as a tandem, where do they rank individually against other top wide receivers?

ESPN’s positional rankings series continued on Wednesday with a look at the NFL’s best receivers. The list, compiled through a survey of league executives, coaches, scouts and players, had Evans at No. 8. Meanwhile, Godwin was an honorable mention.

Evans’ highest ranking was No. 4, while his lowest was – egregiously – outside of the top 10. You wouldn’t think the ninth-year pro’s production needs rehashing. But let’s do it anyway. He’s the only receiver in NFL history to start a career with eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. His 76 receiving touchdowns since entering the league in 2014 are the most by any receiver during that span. How he dropped from No. 7 to No. 8 in these rankings after a season in which he posted 74 catches for 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns is anyone’s guess.

Breaking Down Evans’ No. 8 Ranking

Evans’ place at No. 8 effectively ranks him as the No. 4 receiver in the NFC. Cooper Kupp (No. 2), Justin Jefferson (No. 4) and DeAndre Hopkins (No. 7) came in ahead of him. Davante Adams (No. 1), Ja’Marr Chase (No. 3), Tyreek Hill (No. 5) and Stefon Diggs (No. 6) were the AFC receivers ranked ahead of the Bucs’ No. 1 target.

Here’s what Jeremy Fowler wrote about Evans:

Evans is the player who almost always gets mentioned, even if he’s off a top-10 ballot — and the response is usually “I can’t believe I’m leaving him off.”

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

After eight seasons, Evans hasn’t shown signs of regression. He’s the lone NFL receiver to record eight consecutive 1,000-yard seasons once entering the league, and over the past two years, he has done it with a reasonably low target share (223 total targets since 2020). That’s what makes his 27 touchdowns during that span so special. He’s scoring on every 8.3 targets.

“As far as the high-end guys, he’s one of the most underrated in football,” an AFC scout said. “That’s how his career has been. When he’s done, he’ll have so many yards and production that you’ll have to put him in the Hall of Fame. He’s not always respected as he should be.”

Evans produced 0.54 expected points added per target last year. And Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady recorded a 92.8 Total QBR when targeting him. One knock on his game? His 508 yards after catch in 2021 was well below the top guys, ranking 37th in the league among receivers.

“You can see with some guys you can throw them a hitch or a slant or a screen, and they can take it to the house,” the scout said. “That’s not Evans’ game.”

Godwin Finishes Just Outside Of Top 10

Coming in as an honorable mention was Godwin, who is recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in December. The 2021 season was shaping up to be his best, as he was nearing the 100-catch mark and had already surpassed 1,000 yards before his injury. He has two 1,000-yard seasons in the last three years, and his new three-year contract with the Bucs rewarded exactly that.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

Here’s what Fowler wrote about Godwin as an honorable mention:

Godwin was dominating last season before his torn ACL, recording 98 catches for 1,103 yards over 14 games. “It’s too bad he got hurt, because he was really coming into his own, with his chemistry with Brady,” an NFC scout said. “I really like him. He can win at all levels.”

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Godwin come back, produce and land himself inside the Top 10 at this time next year. But if we’ve learned anything about Evans and Godwin, it’s that they don’t concern themselves with rankings like these. Producing on the field and winning football games is all they care about. And they have a great chance to do a lot of that again this year.