Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Friday that wide receiver Mike Evans, the franchise's all-time leading scorer, will play Sunday against the New York Giants "as long as he's healthy and fresh," Jenna Laine of ESPN reports.

Evans suffered a moderate hamstring strain in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens and missed three games - tied for the longest absence of his career.

"It hurt to see your team out there fighting in really tough, close games that we could have won," Evans said. "I wish I could [have been] out there to help them. I'm excited for this week."

Evans told ESPN prior to the Bucs' Week 11 bye that he could have potentially tried to push a return in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, but instead, Evans rested that week, and spent the bye week ramping up his conditioning.

Evans said he had no concerns about reaggravating his injury, an injury he suffered while already hobbled with a hamstring injury in that same leg but in a different location of the muscle.

"No, this week definitely built my confidence, and last week, going through all the conditioning I had to do," Evans said. "I feel really good. Like I said, I feel better than I did going into the Ravens game. I was a little hobbled going into that game. I probably should have sat that one out, but I always try to tough it through. This time off definitely helped me, so I'm confident."

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