Mike Evans and 11 others who will bounce back this...

Record-breaking streaks tend to end at some point, and in the case of new San Francisco 49ers WR Mike Evans, his ended with a giant thud. Evans, once upon a glorious time the No. 7 pick in the 2014 NFL draft, topped 1,000 receiving yards as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie. Then he did it again the next year ... and for another decade. Others caught more passes, but nobody had ever started an NFL career with 11 consecutive seasons of 1,000 receiving yards. It all ended in Year 12, first when a September hamstring injury cost Evans several games, and then a broken collarbone removed him from active duty for another six weeks. These may or may not be injuries typical of many 32-year-old wide receivers, but durability certainly becomes more of a challenge when a player ages. Still, this is Mike Evans, future Hall of Famer! Even when he returned to play in December, he caught 132 yards worth of passes in Week 15 and scored touchdowns each of the next two weeks. This fellow can still play! This fellow now plays for the 49ers, and fantasy managers may be skeptical because RB Christian McCaffrey dominated volume for this offense last season, but QB Brock Purdy is pretty good, too, and the offense desires to throw downfield. Purdy, another solid option to bounce back, averaged more than 4,000 passing yards for the 2023-24 seasons before missing a chunk of the 2025 season with several maladies. As with Evans, he is healthy now. McCaffrey was the only 49er to catch 60 passes last season, the only one to eclipse 650 receiving yards as he received bloated volume. That cannot happen again, for his sake, and it does not need to happen with Evans around. As we prepare for another fantasy football season, let this be a reminder that just because an individual player statistically struggled the prior season, whether due to injury or performance or whatever, it hardly means the struggles will continue. Many players, both young and old, bounce back to prior achievements every season. Some do not. Evans enters his 13th season with quite an impressive track record for performance. Look for him and his underrated QB to bounce back nicely. Other players who will bounce back Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota Vikings: Let's start at QB, where we certainly could have featured Washington youngster Jayden Daniels or former league MVP Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Murray isn't likely to perform to the level of those fellows, who also missed games with injury last season, but he sure is quite a bargain late in fantasy drafts, if he gets chosen at all. Forget about Murray's 2025 season with the Arizona Cardinals. The franchise was in disarray, and Murray participated in only five games before a foot injury and the organization's wishes shut him down. In 2024, Murray played in all the games and finished as fantasy's No. 10 QB. We shouldn't assume he delivers close to 4,000 passing yards with at least 500 rushing yards in this exciting, well-coached offense, but he sure may do so. David Montgomery, RB, Houston Texans: Montgomery, 29, rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for the 2023 Detroit Lions. He remained productive the next season, even as younger Jahmyr Gibbs emerged as a star. Then last season happened, and Montgomery wasn't much of a factor. That changes now that he leads the backfield in Houston, where volume is assured and there isn't much competition for touches. The bruising Montgomery, who at 230 pounds still punishes smaller defenders, once caught 54 passes in a season (2020 with Chicago). Expect major volume and touchdowns in his third NFL stop. Rachaad White, RB, Washington Commanders: White, 27, also was quite productive in 2023 with the Buccaneers and he moves on to a new home where he should earn ample volume. White scored nine touchdowns during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but he lost playing time to younger Bucky Irving. There doesn't appear to be much in the way of competition in Washington, where rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt was little factor in the passing game and struggled with fumbles. White has averaged more than 50 receptions per season, and the No. 8 fantasy points scorer from 2023 seems a relative afterthought in early ADP. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers: Brooks, 22, isn't like the other running backs mentioned here. In fact, there are few players like him. He is aiming to bounce back to his college days at Texas, where he produced more than 1,400 scrimmage yards during his sophomore season, earning him a second-round selection in the 2023 draft. Brooks tore his right ACL at Texas, compromising his rookie season, but then a tear to the same knee ruined his 2025 season. The Panthers may be cautious early on, but they believe Brooks is healthy, dynamic and a clear threat to veteran Chuba Hubbard, especially in the passing game. DJ Moore, WR, Buffalo Bills: Moore, 29, comes off a rough 2025 season in which he caught only 50 passes for 682 yards. Some may believe that is what Moore is now. It's not likely. Moore flirted with 100 receptions during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, and he has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four times. The Bills lacked high-end wide receiving talent the past two seasons, with nobody threatening 1,000 yards. Moore changes that. He and QB Josh Allen will form an instant and productive duo. Moore has been at least a WR2 option most of his career, and he should return to that level in Buffalo. Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders: McLaurin, 30, saw his impressive streak of five consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons end in 2025, when a quad injury cost him nearly half the games. McLaurin was incredibly consistent from 2020 through 2024 in terms of catches, yards and targets, despite so many different quarterbacks. The Commanders hope Daniels plays 17 games this season. They expect McLaurin to do so, while returning to prior excellence. Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Buccaneers: Godwin, 30, returns for his 10th season, and with expectations in the fantasy world seemingly quite low. A serious leg injury truncated Godwin's excellent 2024 season, and there were doubts he would be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. The Buccaneers prepared by investing in college star WR Emeka Egbuka. Godwin finally showed glimpses of the 1,000-yard receiver later in the season, raising hopes for 2026. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals: Harrison, 23, enters his third season hoping to finally reach stardom after he was the No. 4 selection in the 2024 NFL draft. Injuries ruined his 2025 season, but Harrison should be healthy for the start of 2026, and the Cardinals expect to be far more formidable on offense with rookie RB Jeremiyah Love balancing what was an extreme passing offense under QB Jacoby Brissett. A resurgent Harrison joins TE Trey McBride and WR Michael Wilson. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders: Bowers, 23, delivered an historic rookie campaign with 112 receptions and 1,194 receiving yards. It was apparent early in the 2025 season that things were not the same, as a Week 1 knee injury lingered and eventually cost Bowers five games. The Raiders greatly upgraded their QB situation with top draft pick Fernando Mendoza, and as long as Bowers stays healthy, he should return to numbers that are among the best, if not the best, for the position. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Vikings: Hockenson, 28, starred during the 2023 season, when he caught 95 passes for 960 yards and five touchdowns. However, that season ended with a torn ACL, and Hockenson has 92 receptions and three touchdowns since then during his two years and 25 games. In his case, a return to prominence is about health and the team's quarterback play. Hockenson appears healthy, and Murray appears to be a major upgrade at QB.