With Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin out, backup Charles Sims will finally get his chance to shine Sunday.
Martin rushed for 23 yards on his first seven carries in his Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, but the team announced he is unlikely to return after suffering a hamstring injury in the first-half.
Although the Buccaneers will miss their starting running back, this provides an opportunity for Sims to show what he can do on a full-time basis.
Tampa Bay selected Sims in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft and expected him to become the running back of the future, at least until Martin bounced back with an excellent 2015 season. This led to the starter re-signing with the team on a five-year deal in the offseason.
While Sims remained a backup, he came through with an impressive second season in the NFL, finishing with 529 rushing yards on 4.9 yards per carry. He also displayed his skill as a receiver out of the backfield by tallying 51 catches for 561 yards, with both marks ranking second on the team behind Mike Evans.
Even as Martin played every game, Sims proved to be one of the top second-string running backs in the NFL.
This continued in the 2016 season opener, when the backup finished with 41 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown despite earning just seven touches.
Before the team decided to keep Martin in the offseason, head coach Dirk Koetter noted his confidence in Sims, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:
This hypothetical might now come to fruition with Sims finally getting a chance as a go-to option in the backfield.
The former West Virginia star has the ideal combination of size (6’0″, 211 lbs), speed, agility and hands to be an impact player on all three downs. Now, he should enough touches to turn his potential into production.
If he isn’t on a roster already, Sims should be a top priority off waivers in all fantasy leagues. With his upside, he should also immediately move into starting lineups regardless of the format.
There aren’t many consistent running backs in fantasy football, but Sims could be a useful player in standard leagues and a legitimate star in points-per-reception formats.
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