The Week 7 matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington features a contest between two franchises that have struggled in recent years, meaning that fantasy points may come at a premium. We’ve got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.
Fantasy football projections, Week 7: Buccaneers-Washington featuring Doug Martin, Mike Evans and Jamison Crowder
We break down the Week 7 matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don’t look now but running back Doug Martin is back with a vengeance. He now has 229 yards rushing and three touchdowns combined in the last two weeks after being almost invisible in the early part of the season. Only one team in the NFL has allowed fewer points to fantasy running backs than Washington, so Martin will certainly have his work cut out for him on Sunday. Fantasy owners can probably gamble on him though, especially given the damage he’s done recently. This is the Muscle Hamster’s chance to prove that his recent statistics aren’t a fluke.
If Martin does falter, the Buccaneers will have to rely on the passing game, which means wide receiver Mike Evans should be busy. It’s clear that an early-season injury and having to adjust to a rookie quarterback have hindered Evans’ ability to perform. He has just six catches for 73 yards over the last two weeks. That’s not what his fantasy owners were hoping for after seeing the sophomore receiver get targeted a whopping 17 times in Week 3. As good as Washington’s rush defense has been, the team’s pass defense is suspect. Hopefully Evans can produce allowing his owners to capitalize on the opportunity.
Washington
Its obvious going into Week 7 that Washington is in deep trouble. The team’s two best pass catchers have been plagued by injuries this season and the best pair of running backs on the squad rush for a combined 41 yards last week. That means Pierre Garcon is going to have to start working some magic ASAP. 28 receiving yards last week isn’t exactly getting it done, but at least he did catch five passes and a touchdown. Garcon may have some fantasy value in PPR leagues this week just because somebody has to do something for Washington.
If he struggles and the running backs don’t do anything significant, the only other option for fantasy points on the roster is Jamison Crowder. Crowder was a popular waiver wire addition in recent weeks because he’s being targeted more often. He’s seen at least eight passes come his way in each of the last three weeks and it’s clear that he has more upside than anyone who’s not hurt. If Washington beats Tampa Bay on Sunday it would be a mini miracle. Crowder’s production on the other hand won’t completely shock people.
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