5 Fantasy Football Splits That Matter for Week 2

Jacquizz Rodgers as a Starter

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released fifth-round rookie running back Jeremy McNichols prior to the season starting, which has left only Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims, and Peyton Barber available while Doug Martin serves his three-game suspension. Although the absence of a team's starting runner doesn't always lead to bell-cow work for the next guy on the depth chart, what Tampa did last year tells us Rodgers is in for plenty of opportunity.

The Buccaneers passed early and often out of the gates in 2016, ranking sixth in passing-play percentage (66 percent) through the first four weeks. But things changed in Week 5, as Tampa averaged a top-five run rate (45 percent) for the remainder of the season. It's also worth noting that whomever started at running back during this time was essentially treated as a workhorse by the coaching staff.

While Martin and Sims were ahead of Rodgers in the pecking order, he did take advantage of his opportunity when it came. Once both of those rushers went down due to injury, Quizz averaged 25 carries, 4.3 yards per attempt, 2.6 targets, and a 74.8 percent snap rate over a three-game span. Martin eventually made his way back onto the field for Weeks 10-15, but Rodgers finished as the leader with a 9.60 Rushing NEP, a 0.04 Rushing NEP per attempt, and a Rushing Success Rate -- the percentage of runs that result in a positive NEP -- of 47.29% among those in Tampa's backfield that collected at least 50 carries.

Assuming it's Rodgers, who is currently listed atop the Buccaneers' depth chart, that gets most of the work against the Chicago Bears this week, he'll be in a juicy spot for production. The Bears finished last in Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP per play last season, allowing a league-high 0.05 Rushing NEP per attempt to opposing backs.