Buccaneers: What to expect from Leonard Fournette in year 2

Leonard Fournette is going to have an even bigger second season with the Buccaneers.

Hope you enjoyed watching Leonard Fournette in the playoffs for the Buccaneers because he is returning to build upon his stellar pace in 2021. Ian Rapoport confirmed the news on Twitter; the Bucs are keeping all of their starters in place.

Fournette was a fan-favorite during an awe-inspiring playoff run where he averaged nearly 5.5 yards per touch to go along with four total touchdowns. The Buccaneers found a convincing run game when they needed it most, and now, they have the chance to build on this impressive success with a similar running back room in 2021.

Like it or not, the Bucs are sticking to their “bring everyone back” strategy very closely. While there was some speculation that Fournette’s market would be too big for the Bucs to meet, the playoff MVP contender made his desires to remain in Tampa very clear. Fournette genuinely seemed happy with the Bucs and saw plenty of time in the limelight; what is there not to like?

The Buccaneers and Leonard Fournette are running it back

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Now that Playoff Lenny is locked in for another year, the Buccaneers can turn their attention to building on an improving run game. There were days where the unit gave a lackluster performance, but the two-headed monster of Fournette and Ronald Jones is worth keeping an eye on in 2021.

Fortunately for the Buccaneers, Fournette should only be better next year.

Fournette didn’t find his footing until the playoffs. Before that point, he struggled with production and efficiency other than a few broken plays, but everything clicked when it mattered most. Whether it was an offense that started to find its identity or settling into the lead role, that version of Fournette is what everyone expected when he was drafted by the Jags so high.

Given Fournette’s most recent success, a returning offensive line, and a Tom Brady that is refusing to age, all signs point to Playoff Lenny being the norm next year, even in the regular season.

Confidence and momentum are an extreme bonus, especially for teams that are coming off a Super Bowl win, and this will only lend itself to helping Fournette’s game even more.

The Bucs now know what they have offensively, and their identity shined in the playoffs. Give Fournette an actual offseason to get involved with this identity and keep that confidence, and very few players in the NFL will be able to stop him in 2021.

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