First and foremost, our thoughts are with Evan Stewart. A torn patella tendon is a devastating injury for any athlete. We hope he finds strength in recovery, support from his team and ultimately gets back to full health and success, on or off the field.
Moments like this remind us that fantasy football, while deeply engaging, is a game. These athletes are human beings first, and their well-being puts everything we do in perspective.
Unfortunately, it has been reported that Stewart has suffered a torn patella tendon and will miss the entire 2025–2026 college football season. For devy managers, this creates an unfortunate situation regarding a player once projected to be a future NFL first-rounder.
Devy Stock Watch: Evan Stewart
Scouting Profile: Strengths & Development Areas
Evan Stewart entered college football with sky-high expectations. A former five-star recruit out of Texas, Stewart was widely regarded as one of the most polished route runners in his class.
His agility, top-end speed and ability to separate made him a nightmare for opposing defensive backs. At 6’0”, 175 pounds, Stewart is a finesse separator who thrives in space and flashes elite body control at the catch point. His game closely resembled those “NFL speed merchants” who win with technique, burst and precision. However, questions lingered about his physicality, contested catch ability and functional strength against press coverage. While he excels in open space, Stewart’s frame and play strength limit his effectiveness in tight windows and against more physical defensive backs.
College Career So Far: A Tale of Two Programs
Stewart began his college career at Texas A&M, where he showed flashes of brilliance in a struggling offensive system. As a freshman in 2022, he posted a promising 53 receptions for 649 yards and two touchdowns. In 2023, despite inconsistency at quarterback and offensive dysfunction, he still managed 38 receptions for 514 yards and four touchdowns. After transferring to Oregon ahead of the 2024 season, hopes were high that a more explosive offense and better quarterback play would elevate his production.
Unfortunately, his 2024 season failed to meet expectations. Statistically, it was simply underwhelming: just 41 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns. It could’ve been due to adjusting to a new system, lingering minor injuries or struggling to assert himself in a crowded receiving room, but he failed to live up to the first-round expectations he once carried among the devy community. His decision to return to Oregon in 2025 made sense, as it would allow the receiver time to rebuild his draft stock and prove he could dominate in a high-powered offense. Instead, this patella injury abruptly halts that redemption arc.
What Now for Devy Managers?
If you’ve held Evan Stewart on your devy roster, you likely drafted him as a high-end prospect, possibly as a top-ten wide receiver in his class. At this point, you’re sitting on a share that has lost almost all of its perceived market value. However, if you try to sell now, you’re selling at the absolute floor. Unless you’re convinced and you’d rather be out entirely and recoup anything at all, there’s little benefit to selling low. Stewart is now 21 years old and, assuming he redshirts, would enter his fifth college season in 2026 and likely declare for the 2027 NFL Draft at age 23 in a potentially very strong wide receiver class.
In devy, age matters. This alone significantly dings his profile. And even if he returns fully healthy, there’s another hurdle in the form of Dakorien Moore, the highly touted incoming freshman, who is primed to make an immediate impact in Oregon. By the time Stewart sees the field again, Moore could have fully cemented himself as the WR1 in the Ducks’ offense. It’s not just about health anymore. Stewart will be fighting uphill, whether for targets, relevance or draft capital that now feels like a long shot.
RELATED: How does Dakorien Moore stack up against the other freshman wide receivers? Find out here.
Final Thoughts & Devy Stock Outlook
This injury is a brutal blow to a player who once had the makings of a future NFL star. Evan Stewart’s Devy value has plummeted and while there’s still a narrow path to relevance — a medical redshirt, a strong comeback season in 2026 and perhaps a Day 3 draft selection — it’s a long road ahead. From a fantasy perspective, Stewart now becomes a roster-clogger and a longshot rather than a cornerstone.
That said, we wish nothing but the best for Evan Stewart. His story isn’t over and we hope to see him beat the odds and thrive, whether on Saturdays again or someday on Sundays. For now, patience is the only option and above all else, let’s root for a full and successful recovery.
Thanks for reading my article on the Devy Stock Watch on Evan Stewart! For more Devy and College Fantasy Football content, follow me on Twitter/X @PoshplaysFF.
Photo Credit: Craig Strobeck — USA Today Sports
