The 2016 NFL Preview continues. Every weekday from now until opening night, we will preview the 2016 NFL Season. This week’s schedule: New Orleans (Tuesday), Philadelphia (Wednesday), Oakland (Thursday), Los Angeles (Friday)
Not all 6-10 seasons are created equal. Some start out great and fade down the stretch. Some start out slow and are salvaged at the end. Some are a disappointment, some are a sign that things are improving. The 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to show improvement while being disappointing. 6-10 is great when you were 2-14 the year before, but not great when you were 6-6. Tampa Bay could have built on this, but instead they tore it all down.
Who is Dirk Koetter? This is reason one why Tampa tore it all down. Most coaches are fired the day after the season ends. “Black Monday” as it’s called. Smith survived Black Monday and was expected to remain the coach for 2016. However, two days later reports had surfaced that Miami was interested in hiring Dirk Koetter as its head coach. Not wanting to lose Koetter off the staff, Tampa turfed Smith and promoted Koetter to head coach. Koetter helped the offense jump from 30th in yards to 5th in his first year, but the points did not come. Jumping only to 20th from 29th.
Jameis Winston’s team now Second year man Jameis Winston is the reason Koetter was promoted. Koetter’s work in developing the young signal caller was enough of a reason for Tampa Bay not to want to let him go. Winston had a solid rookie season, throwing 22 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. Like most rookies, he faded down the stretch, tossing five interceptions over the final three contests.
One trick pony in the passing game Mike Evans had his second stellar season in 2015. While his touchdowns dropped, his targets, catches, and yards all increased in his second year. He is the bulk of the Tampa Bay passing game and will draw the top assignments every week. Vincent Jackson is back from his injury hoping to be productive in the # 2 role. There is not a lot of known talent on the depth chart below.
Is the real Doug Martin back? Or was the real Doug Martin the 2014 & 15 version? Martin exploded on the scene in 2012, rushing for over 1,400 yards, before injuries derailed his next two seasons. He finally bounced back in 2015, posting his second 1,400 yard season. The Bucs bought in, signing Martin to a 5 year, $37.5 million extension. Charles Sims is the primary backup, but the backfield runs through Martin. Tampa drafted two fullbacks, so you can expect a lot of ground and pound to help Winston out.
Fantasy Focus Martin is one of the few every down backs left in the league, and his value is very interesting in drafts. He’s currently ranked anywhere from #8 to # 11. Players around him are Mark Ingram, Lamar Miller, and LeSean McCoy. A case can definitely be made for Martin over any of those players. I am high on Martin, and if you get out of your first two rounds with a WR and Doug Martin, you’re looking pretty good. Mike Evans is probably a little undervalued. Touchdowns are a crapshoot, but targets are not. You know Evans is going to get the volume. If you go RB first round, Evans is a great pick in round 2.
Prediction At the start we mentioned how there are different 6-10 seasons. Tampa Bay is about to have another one.