NFL offers added motivation for rejuvenated 49ers WR Mike Evans in 2026

Don't hold your breath if you were waiting to see where San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans landed in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 rankings. This week, the league revealed the veteran receiver narrowly missed the cut.

Evans was ranked No. 101, making him the first player left off the list.

The ranking could provide added motivation for one of the most accomplished wide receivers in NFL history. Evans enters the 2026 season with 12 years of elite production on his résumé, including 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards—a feat matched by only one other player, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice.

The only time Evans failed to reach that milestone came in 2025, when injuries limited him to just eight games.

Evans, the former seventh overall pick by the Buccaneers in the 2014 NFL Draft, is a six-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time All-Pro, and a Super Bowl champion.

Despite missing time last season, Evans remains one of the NFL's all-time great pass catchers. He ranks 10th in league history in receiving touchdowns and 21st in career receiving yards. Being left just outside the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 may serve as extra fuel as he prepares for his first season with the 49ers as he nears the age of 33.

Evans is determined to prove he still has plenty left in the tank, and he believes his move from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the 49ers has revitalized his career.

"I just felt like it's what I needed at this point in my career," Evans said during a radio interview on Monday. "I really do love Tampa. I've been there my whole career, 12 seasons. I love the fan base, love the people, the front office, my teammates, but I just felt like it was time for a change. And this team, it definitely feels like it's [rejuvenated] me, and potentially added some years in my career."

The 49ers hope Evans becomes a major contributor in an offense loaded with playmakers. If he can return to his dominant form, his NFL peers may view his No. 101 ranking as a significant oversight.

Through 12 NFL seasons, Evans has recorded 866 receptions for 13,052 receiving yards and 108 touchdowns. Another 1,000-yard season would move him into at least 12th place on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list.