Josh McCown - Week 2 vs. St. Louis
Doug Martin was back at practice for the Buccaneers on Thursday. He sat out most of the season opener with a knee injury. He left, came back in, and left the game again. In the time he played he had nine carries for just nine yards and one reception for seven yards.
Offensive lineman Logan Mankins also returned to practice for the Buccaneers on Thursday. His absence was another reason the Bucs struggled to open holes for their running backs.
Martin should be ready to go for his matchup against St. Louis. The Rams gave up 185 rushing yards to Minnesota in Week 1, so they're vulnerable. Plus, if Rams QB Shaun Hill isn't ready to go and the backup struggles Tampa could build an early lead and look to run the football more often.
Backup Bobby Rainey should expect to see some touches, but Martin looks like a full go. In a favorable matchup treat Martin as a RB2 this week.
Doug Martin - Week 1 vs. Carolina
Last season the Carolina Panthers were the second toughest defense against fantasy running backs. In fact, they only allowed four rushing touchdowns all season (three to RBs). Doug Martin didn't get to face them in 2013 due to his injury.
The Buccaneers did add offensive lineman Logan Mankins via trade. The Pro Bowl guard is a huge addition to the Bucs' offensive line and should help open up some running lanes for Martin.
Tampa Bay doesn't have much depth behind Martin, so they'll lean on him for most of the touches. The difficult matchup bumps Martin down to a RB2 option this week.
Fantasy Upside
As a rookie Doug Martin made owners happy with his 1,926 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. That potential made him a top pick in 2013 drafts, but after six games, his season was cut short. Now, the Bucs’ RB is headed into his third season ready to prove his worth again.
Rookie running back Charles Sims was expected to take touches away from Martin this season, but he injured himself during training camp. Sims' injury will have him out 12-14 weeks at least.
Fantasy Downside
Martin was struggling last season even before his injury. He had one good game against New Orleans, but that was about it. He had a poor 3.6 yards per carry and only found the endzone once.
The Buccaneers are also looking to lessen the workload of Martin this season. Bobby Rainey, Mike James and Jeff Demps are expected to get touches. Martin averaged over 20 touches per game during the last two seasons.
Another concern for Martin this season is the offensive line he’s running behind. Carl Nicks was forced to retire leaving Tampa with a mess at the position. Martin will have a difficult time finding running lanes.
Bottom Line
Martin is the potential top-five fantasy back he was a year ago. Expectations aren’t as high for him this season. He’s still viewed as a strong player, but he’s not amongst the elite at the position. He’s a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2.
