Data as of June 26 | Current Cheatsheets | Current Projections

NR = Not ranked

QB Josh McCown

Considered a career backup entering the 2013 season, a funny thing happened to the 35-year old McCown during his second season in Chicago. He established himself as a starter, signing a two-year contract in the offseason to take over the reigns in Tampa Bay. Subbing in for an injured Jay Cutler, McCown started five games for the Bears last season, winning three and nearly helping propelling the team to the playoffs. In those five starts, he threw for 1,543 yard with 11 touchdowns and just one interception, topping 300 yards three times while averaging 26.2 PPG. Of course, he had a pair of big, solid wide receivers to throw to in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery as well as a solid pass catching running back in Matt Forte. In Tampa Bay, he inherits a pair of big, not quite as solid wide receivers in Vincent Jackson and rookie 1st round pick Mike Evans as well as a pair of solid receivers in the backfield in Doug Martin and rookie 3rd round pick Charles Sims. Wait a minute. While there seem to be plenty of similarities between McCown’s supporting casts in Chicago and Tampa Bay, we aren’t buying into him as an upper tier fantasy backup. There is just too much history of subpar production, his receivers (including tight ends) were more established in Chicago and we expect the Tampa Bay offense to be more conservative under new offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford (based on Lovie Smith’s orders). If you like him, take a flier and grab him as a low end QB2.

RB Doug Martin

Martin suffered through the sophomore blues in 2014 as he struggled during the first games of the year before he suffered a torn labrum in Week 7 that ended his season. He finished the year with 456 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards and a touchdown but that was largely volume based as he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. That was a far cry form the 4.6 yards per carry average he posted as a rookie in 2013, although the Bucs offensive line wasn’t nearly as effective. Looking forward to 2014, on the plus side, we can be fairly certain that head coach Lovie Smith will ensure that offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford runs a ball control, heavily run based offense. On the other hand, the Bucs depth chart at running back has quickly evolved to one of the deepest in the league with rookie 3rd round pick Charles Sims, Mike James and Bobby Rainey behind Martin. While the Bucs have said they want to use more of a committee approach in 2014, we expect that Martin’s combination of speed, power, agility and explosiveness will result in him seeing a significant majority of the touches out of the Bucs backfield. We rate him amongst a solid group of second tier running backs.

RB Charles Sims

The Bucs surprised many by selecting West Virginia’s Charles Sims early in the 3rd round of this year’s NFL Draft. With a solid depth chart at running back (Doug Martin, Mike James and Bobby Rainey), Sims’ selection was somewhat of a luxury pick but the Bucs have sent signals that they intend to give him plenty of touches in his rookie season as Martin’s main backup. We’re just not certain that we fully buy into that notion. At 6’0” and 214 pounds, Sims has solid but not great size for the position to go along with better than average speed (4.48 40 time) and elusiveness. A solid pass catcher out of the backfield, Sims will need to learn how to run out of plays with the quarterback under center in the pros. His receiving prowess figures to earn him plenty of snaps in 2014 and that makes Sims a decent flex option in larger PPR leagues, not to mention a solid handcuff with upside if injury strikes Martin again. Dynasty leaguers should like, but not love, Sims, given Martin is entering his third year in the league.

RB Mike James

One year into his career, James has quickly found out that the NFL often stands for Not For Long. The former 6th round pick entered his rookie season in 2013 hoping to establish himself as Doug Martin’s backup and quickly found himself in the starting line up when Martin was lost for the season in Week 7. Unfortunately, James suffered a broken ankle, ending his season in Week 10, and watched helplessly as the Bucs chose Charles Sims in the 3rd round of this year’s draft and quickly signaled that he would enter the season as Martin’s main backup. That leaves James fighting for table scraps in 2014.

RB Bobby Rainey

Cast aside by the Browns part of the way through the season, Rainey took advantage of injuries to Doug Martin and Mike James to chalk up 566 rushing yards and six total touchdowns in 2013. While he may have helped some fantasy owners through injuries and bye weeks last year (especially in Weeks 11 and 14 when he topped 100 rushing yards), the diminutive Rainey doesn’t appear to have a long term future in the league as a starter or quality backup. Not that big, not that fast, not that shifty, Rainey averaged 3.8 yards per carry and 3.1 yards per reception and enters 2014 stuck behind Martin, rookie Charles Sims and James on the Bucs depth chart at running back.

WR Vincent Jackson

While the Bucs haven’t done much winning during Jackson’s two year stay in Tampa Bay, you certainly can’t lay the blame for that at his feet. In that period, he has been the team’s top receiving threat, hauling in 150 passes for 2,608 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 11 PPG despite the team’s subpar play at quarterback. In 2014, Josh McCown takes over under center to help rectify the quarterback situation but the team has also signaled that he will increase its use of the run under new offensive coordinator Jeff Telford. However, with rookie 1st round pick Mike Evans lining up opposite Jackson, little depth behind those two at wide receiver and solid yet not spectacular receiving options at tight end, we expect Jackson to replicate his 2013 production again this season. In fact, it won’t be a surprise if posts a career year in 2014 at the tender age of 31. Consider him a mid to upper tier WR1.

WR Mike Evans

With a hole at the wide receiver position opposite Vincent Jackson, the Bucs used the 7th overall pick in the draft to select Mike Evans. The 6’4”, 231 pound Texas A&M product enjoyed a productive collegiate career and was widely considered the second best receiving prospect in the draft after Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. In Tampa Bay, Evans will open the season in the starting lineup and with little receiving talent behind him, should see plenty of targets in his rookie season. While rookie receivers have generally earned their bad reputation over the past decade, it is becoming more common for them to be productive early in their careers. Given Evans solid size-speed combination, his ability in the red zone and the Bucs lack of depth at the position, we rate him as an mid-tier WR4 with huge upside. In dynasty formats, he should go off the board no later than the 3rd or 4th overall pick.

WR Chris Owusu, WR Robert Herron and WR Louis Murphy

For the last several years, the top backup receiver spot for the Bucs has been a black hole for fantasy purposes. Outside of the odd solid performance from the likes of Tiquan Underwood, Preston Parker or Dezmon Briscoe (all since departed), the team hasn’t received much production behind their starters at wide receiver. And with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans at wide receiver, a pair of solid pass catching tight ends in Tim Wright and Brandon Myers, and solid receivers out of the backfield in Doug Martin and Charles Sims, we expect that situation won’t change much under the direction of new offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford. Barring injury, Owusu, Herron and Murphy won’t provide any fantasy value in 2014.

TE Brandon Myers

After doing little during his first three years in the league, Myers emerged as a solid receiving option in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders, proving to be steady and reliable, reaching career highs in all major categories with 79 receptions for 806 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, he signed with the New York Giants prior to the 2013 season and quickly proved that much of his 2012 production was the result of circumstance. As in, when your team is consistently trailing and there are few solid options in the passing game, you will get plenty of looks. Myers saw his production plummet to 47 receptions for 522 yards and four touchdowns, as he never really jelled with quarterback Eli Manning. With a plethora of solid options at tight end, not to mention excellent receiving options in Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans and Doug Martin, don’t expect major targets or production from Myers in 2014.

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins

With a veteran retread in Brandon Myers and the undersized Tim Wright atop their tight end depth chart, the Bucs used a 2nd round pick to acquire Washington’s Austin Seferian-Jenkins. At 6’6” and 262 pounds, Seferian-Jenkins possesses outstanding size to go along with above average speed. He also proved to be a solid route runner in college as well as an excellent option in the red zone (21 touchdowns in 38 games). However, look for 2014 to be a redshirt year for Seferian-Jenkins. He rates as a mid-tier prospect in dynasty formats.

TE Tim Wright

Opportunity knocked for Wright in 2013 when Luke Stocker was lost for the season in September and the undrafted rookie free agent answered the bell, catching 54 of his 76 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns. While that is clearly solid production, tight ends that measure 6’3” and 220 pounds aren’t valuable commodities in the eyes of new Bucs head coach Lovie Smith, who prefers tight ends that can block. The Bucs plan to employ plenty of two tight end sets in 2014 but there are no guarantees that Wright will earn a big role. Wright is waiver wire material in all formats.

TE Luke Stocker

Expected to take over as the Bucs starting tight end last season, Stocker, the Bucs 2011 4th round pick, played in just two games before being placed on injured reserve with a hip injury. With Tim Wright serving as a solid receiving option in 2013, Brandon Myers having been signed as a free agent and the team adding Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the 2nd round of this year’s draft, Stocker’s time in Tampa could be coming to an end.