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Buccaneers: Players to watch against the Falcons in Week 15

By Sean Eck

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 10: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks for an open receiver during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions on December 10, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 10: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks for an open receiver during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions on December 10, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 10: Peyton Barber #25 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs the ball near the goal line to set up a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter of a game at Raymond James Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. The Lions won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 10: Peyton Barber #25 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs the ball near the goal line to set up a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter of a game at Raymond James Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. The Lions won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Peyton Barber

Last week after a second-quarter fumble by Doug Martin Barber came into the game and out-touched him 10-0 for the rest of the game.  Martin is a veteran and has been a Buccaneer his whole career, and I doubt he gets benched indefinitely or for the entire game, but the Bucs have to see what they have in the younger Barber.

On the season he has outpaced Martin in yards-per-carry by almost a full yard.  With the evaluation mode in Tampa in full swing, they have to see just what they have in the younger players and Barber might be the best of the bunch.

Since the failed drug test from Martin, the Buccaneers can release him, and it would cost them nothing.  If they feel Barber would be a better long-term replacement or if they were determined to draft a running back this year it still makes sense to get Martin off the books and let Barber have the keys to the car as it were.

While the Falcons have improved some, they are still a team that is susceptible to the rush as last week was evident by all the missed tackles.  Barber is someone who hits the hole hard and relies on brute strength at times to get his yards which could spell trouble for a Falcons line that might be without former Buccaneer Adrian Claiborne.

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