The San Francisco 49ers’ offense will sorely miss Mike Evans while he recovers from Achilles tendinitis. And it showed in the team's Monday Night Football win over the Washington Commanders.
According to data from Warren Sharp, San Francisco averaged plus-0.57 expected points added (EPA) per play and 9.0 yards per play when Evans played in Week 6. With him off the field, though, those numbers dropped to negative-0.14 EPA per play and 4.4 yards per play.
The gap is even wider in the passing game. With Evans on the field, the 49ers posted a plus-0.58 EPA per attempt, a 50% success rate and 11.6 yards per attempt. Without him, they were at negative-0.54 EPA per attempt, a 29% success rate and 6.8 yards per attempt.
In terms of total offensive production,
that translated to just seven yards on nine plays over three drives once Evans was ruled out for the game. The veteran had caught three passes for 94 yards prior, including the 16-yard catch that ended his night.
Across six games this season, Evans has 27 catches on 39 targets for 420 yards and three touchdowns. He's dealt with injuries all year, though, including Achilles soreness before the Week 6 match.
The early prognosis is encouraging for Evans, though. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the issue was “the same thing that was bothering him all week,” adding that it “acted up too much in the game.” NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan reported that Evans did not tear his Achilles and will “miss a little time,” with a possible return after the Week 8 bye. Shanahan also said he doesn’t believe Evans needs further testing.
The 49ers have lost nearly all of their Week 1 receivers this season, from Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson to De'Zhaun Stribling in Week 1 and Ricky Pearsall before the year even began. The now adds Evans to that long list and will have to rely on Brandin Cooks, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and, potentially, Christian Kirk to contribute alongside running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: How bad will 49ers miss Mike Evans if he's out?
