FanDuel Price: $6,500
Doug Martin has been pretty bad since coming back from injury, averaging a measly 2.85 yards per carry on 103 attempts. He needs volume to be a solid fantasy producer, and said volume isn't likely to be there this week in a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Not only are Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims working their way back into the mix in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' backfield, but this could be a very slow-paced, methodical game. Dallas has been playing keep-away all year, ranking 30th in Football Outsiders' situational-neutral pace. As a result, their defense is allowing the fifth-fewest FanDuel points per game to running backs while checking in as the third-ranked run unit, per our metrics.
That alone is enough to scare us off Martin, but it gets worse. The Bucs' are 7-point underdogs (with an unattractive 19.75-point implied total), which is a game script that profiles better for Rodgers or Sims, and Tampa Bay has also morphed into a deliberate offense of late.
Over the last 5 weeks, only DET (55.5) is allowing fewer plays per game than TB (55.6) - whose offense is operating at the 2nd-slowest pace.
— Pat Thorman (@Pat_Thorman) December 12, 2016
There are too many red flags here to feel good about Martin. Our algorithm is down on him, too, pegging Martin for 9.8 points, which puts him outside the top 20 running backs.