Darrynton

Evans

Evans has bounced around the league as of late, most recently playing for the Bears. He appeared in five games, rushing three times for three yards. This isn’t Evans’ first stint with the Bills. It isn’t even his second. He spent training camp in Buffalo in 2023 and was with the team for the entire offseason last year before they placed him on injured reserve ahead of Week 1. He was cut later in the season. Evans’ return could mean the end of pass-catching specialist Ty Johnson. The two have similar skill sets and Johnson is an impending free agent.

Evans previously played for the Bears this season, making his way to the Dolphins practice squad before getting elevated prior to the team’s Friday Week 12 game against the Jets. With Salvon Ahmed going on injured reserve and De’Von Achane still nursing a knee injury, Evans will rotate in as the change-of-pace back for the Dolphins. While he isn’t on fantasy radars, expect Evans to spell Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson on passing plays.

Evans operated as the Bears’ second running back, seeing his touches in the first half against the Saints. He showed some burst on a 17-yard first quarter game, but was seldom used behind D’Onta Foreman. With Khalil Herbert returning soon and Roschon Johnson still in the mix, Evans does not have much fantasy appeal moving forward.

Evans mixed in throughout the evening, scoring from 11 yards out near the end of the first half. The Bears continued to utilize a split backfield in the absence of Khalil Herbert, this time shared amongst Evans, D’Onta Foreman, and Roschon Johnson. There doesn’t appear to be any fantasy appeal as long as three backs are seeing work for the Bears.

It was a strong workload for Evans with Roschon Johnson (concussion) still sidelined, but there’s a good chance Johnson is back to form a 1-2 punch with D’Onta Foreman for Week 8 against the Chargers’ soft defense. Evans can remain left on waiver wires.

Evans was added by the Bears after their series of running back injuries last week. He was used as the shifty, change-of-pace back for the Bears, getting runs to the edge and passing-down work while D’Onta Foreman was the downhill rusher. His role will be reduced if and when Roschon Johnson or Travis Homer return. Evans has little fantasy value for Week 7 against the Raiders.

A Week 5 win over the Commanders came at the detriment of their running back room. Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion), and Travis Homer (hamstring) all suffered injuries in the win, leaving the Bears thin at the position heading into Week 6. Johnson has a chance to clear concussion protocol and play next week against the Vikings, but the addition of Evans gives the team another familiar face just in case. Evans spent all of last season with the Bears, totaling 97 yards from scrimmage on 15 touches while also serving as a backup return man. Even in a thin running back room, Evans has little fantasy upside at this time.

Evans was signed just days after the Bills lost Nyheim Hines (knee) to a season-ending injury. Still, it was going to be difficult for Evans to crack the 53-man roster with James Cook, Damien Harris, and Latavius Murray already locked in. A former third-round pick from the 2020 class, Evans has struggled to stick on a roster since being let go by the Titans last August.

The signing of Evans comes hours after it was announced that Nyheim Hines (knee) would miss the 2023 season. Hines entered the league as a versatile playmaker when the Titans drafted him in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s bounced around between the Bears and Colts but has seen little playing opportunity. Like Hines, Evans also has experience as a return man, and could compete for a return role with the Bills.

Evans, a highly-touted draft pick by the Titans in 2020, has 30 rushing attempts over 12 games in his three NFL seasons. He did not appear in a game for the Colts. Evans will likely sign with another team this summer, possibly as a depth piece or a special teams player.