Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette primed for starting role

Next man up

After breaking his pinky last weekend, Ronald Jones underwent surgery with the potential to play this weekend, but getting added to the COVID-19 reserve list only makes that prospect seems even more unlikely.

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The Buccaneers don’t need to push anything and should probably give Jones the weekend off to fully heal for the playoffs, and that leaves Leonard Fournette as the starter. This will be an excellent chance for the Buccaneers to evaluate Fournette’s future with the team.

Fournette has been decent on the ground this year (3.9 yards per carry), which is inflated from a few longer runs, but the Buccaneer backup should get a chance to prove his hands this weekend above all else. Ronald Jones has struggled with drops this season to a dramatic extent, and Fournette has been the better option in this regard, but only marginally.

Tom Brady loves getting the football to his backs, and Fournette could earn himself another year with a contender if he shows sure hands this weekend.

Jones could return, but the smart money is on Fournette to serve as the starter this weekend. The success of the run game shouldn’t drop off too much, but Byron Leftwich will have to adjust his play-calling to fit a back that is less shifty than Jones.

Tampa Bay should be fine against the Falcons, and we’ll finally start to see if the Bucs will keep their current tandem in place for next season.

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