Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano said the chances of running back Doug Martin being available for the team's Sunday game at the Seattle Seahawks are slimming, according to the Pewter Report. It is unsurprising, even if the Buccaneers haven't officially ruled Martin out yet.
Doug Martin almost certainly ruled out for Sunday; a fantasy stay-away
It’s not new information, but the Buccaneers running back is almost certainly out for Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Martin missed the team's Week 8 game against the Carolina Panthers after suffering a torn labrum in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. In his absence, rookie sixth-round pick Mike James started Sunday, rushing for 39 yards, adding 25 receiving yards on four catches.
Fantasy impact: No one -- except, apparently, Schiano -- thought there would be any chance Martin would play Sunday, but the team is holding off on ruling him out. Regardless, Martin might have value late in the season, once he actually is back, but it’s hard to imagine that coming any time soon.
James had 64 all-purpose yards Sunday, which is as many as or more than Martin had in three different games this year. That said, Martin is still a clearly superior player to James, and that is before even considering that the Buccaneers are flying across the country to play a road game at the Seattle Seahawks, which is the recipe for a sad, sad game. James is barely more usable in fantasy this week than Martin.
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