2013 was not a great year for the Buccaneers. The Greg Schiano Era came to a disastrous end, with falling out with Quarterback Josh Freeman a huge drama on the way to a 4-12 record. Fast Forward to 2014 and new Head Coach Lovie Smith has add some new faces and air of optimism now envelops One Buc Place. How will the new faces impact the fantasy landscape and can Lovie Smith get production out of the players he has inherited as well?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fantasy Outlook
Quarterback
In 2013 journeyman quarterback Josh McCown came good. In Marc Trestman’s offense while filling in for the injured Jay Cutler he had 13 touchdowns and over 1800 yards in just 8 games. If he can replicate that form over the entire 2014 season in Tampa McCown he will have solid fantasy value as a backup and would even boardering on a starter, however the fact remains that this may have been lightning in a bottle. McCown’s history does not have elite fantasy player written all over it and Lovie Smith is better known for crafting elite defences than being a quarterback guru like Trestman. Mike Glennon had a solid enough season in 2013 replacing Josh Freeman but did not pull up any trees in fantasy football. With McCown being named the starter Glennon has no real fantasy value unless injury befalls the veteran signal caller or a bad run of form leads Smith to make a change. Should Glennon get to start his value would be similar to that of McCown and as a backup.
Running Backs
Doug Martin will once again lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back field after recovering from a torn Labrum. After over 1400 yards in his rookie season, Martin’s injury limited him to only 6 games and 456 yards in 2013. Buccaneers and fantasy fans alike will be hoping that Marin will have benefited from the rest in 2013 and will suffer no ill effects from his injury. Should this be the case Martin is a top 10 fantasy running back and a borderline 1st round pick in most formats. A strong offensive line also adds to Martins case as a top fantasy running back. Mike James and Bobby Rainey both filled in well for Martin while he was injured in 2013, and may be used to spell Martin in 2014, however it is hard to envision either drawing significant time away from Martin. James, Rainey, along with Charlie Simm, may be worth stashing on your bench as a handcuff, in case Martin has a re-occurrence of his injury, once the depth chart shakes up more and the identity of Martin’s back up is known, but expect all three to go undrafted in most leagues
Receivers
Vincent Jackson has continued to be a top fantasy player since his move from the San Diego Chargers to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Finishing 17th in wide receivers in 2013 he is still a borderline number one receiver and at worst a top number two. 1224 yards and 7 touchdowns was a good return from what was an anything but stable quarterback situation. After trading Mike Williams to the Buffalo Bills 1st round pick Mike Evans is in pole position to start opposite Jackson. The 6”5 former Texas A&M receiver has all the tools to be a top player in the NFL, however temper fantasy expectations in his rookie year. Wide receivers tend to have solid rookie years rather than spectacular. Evans could be a decent bye week fill in and will be a good draft pick for dynasty leagues.
Tight Ends
The Buccaneers tight end battle could be one of the most contested battles heading in to camp. Incumbent Timothy Wright and free agent signing Brandon Myers both had solid 2013 seasons ranking 12th and 16th respectively among tight ends. Add into the mix second round draft pick Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Luke Stocker and the camp battle will be fierce to win the starting job. With a stable quarterback situation, and two big targets on the outside, drawing defences attention, whoever wins the starting berth could well have some sleeper value and will at least be a solid bye week player. This is definitely a battle for fantasy players to monitor through the preseason.
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